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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28410270">Cracked, Not Broken</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Macx/pseuds/Macx'>Macx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pushing Boundaries [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Jurassic World Trilogy (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha/Beta, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pack Bonding, Pack Dynamics, Psychic Bond, Slice of Life, Slow Build, The Grady Gang - Freeform, The Raptor Squad - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:21:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>93,565</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28410270</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Macx/pseuds/Macx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been months since the Sorna Raptor Incident. Months since Owen Grady pushed himself past his limits to survive.</p><p>He has healed, thanks to the unwavering support of a pack of four ferociously protective raptors, but traces of what he has done have remained. There are cracks. And some things have yet to be resolved. Personal things. Things he had successfully pushed out of his mind for a very long time…</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Owen Grady/Dan Carter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pushing Boundaries [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/280323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>423</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saara_wolf/gifts">Saara_wolf</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Author's note: it's been a while since I wrote Tainted and Threshold Shift. I received and still do receive amazing, wonderful feedback. I'm still tickled how much people loved my AU of a movie I hadn't even seen when I wrote the first story. </p><p>Some of you mentioned that they picked up on a closer relationship between Owen and an OC I had created, Dan Carter, the new chief of security. Some asked would I do something about it, write another story, maybe with those two. </p><p>Yes, I knew there was a closeness there and I never let it go any further. Yes, I had had scenes running around in my head, but I never had the guts to actually write and post them. I chickened out, plain and simple, and decided no one really wants to read an OC paired with a main character. </p><p>So what changed my mind? The wonderful Saara_wolf. She asked if I'd mind her writing Owen and Dan. Nope, didn't have a problem. Not at all! She sent me scenes and chapters… and my brain went 'Yay!' and did the same…</p><p>This is the result.</p><p>Don't want the slash? Don't read! All those who poked at me to do some Owen/Dan… it took a while, but go and thank Saara_wolf.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He had no idea when it had really started. It had been a slow process, developing like glacial movements in ancient times, and wasn't that appropriate? He worked in a place full of extinct animals of those prehistoric times. He had a work life that was absolutely not normal, so why should his private life be any less weird and abnormal?</p>
<p>Then again, did he really have a private life? Where could he draw a line between his job and who he was and had become?</p>
<p>Owen Grady had never given what he did a deeper thought. He liked what he was, who he was, his work, his home. He really loved his job and it was the best that could have happened to him, i-rex or no i-rex. Yes, there had been almost catastrophic events in the past five years, but all in all, those five years had been an amazing ride.</p>
<p>Grady was a preternatural, which made for interesting times anyway, and he worked with raptors, which added to the strangeness. Some might call him a freak, but he knew he wasn't any more or less than any other talented trainer or caretaker at the park.</p>
<p>Sure, his friends would argue that none of them had connected to their charges like he had. He was the undisputed alpha, sensing and even hearing them on a level that wasn't human, feeling them close to him, and all without losing himself in the steel knot that was a predator's mind. He was one of the few, very, very few, preternaturally talented humans who had remained himself while also becoming part of a pack in everything but species. He was the leader, calm and assertive, using his own energies to gently guide and sometimes quickly assume dominance over the four strong individuals that made up the Raptor Squad, as they had been nick-named.</p>
<p>Yes, his life was rather unique, but he didn't get hung up on the negative. There was nothing he could or would change.</p>
<p>It was a raptor way of thinking. The past was the past. It had happened; nothing could be changed. You survived, you learned, you incorporated it into your next actions, and you lived. Raptors were in the present, all the time, every time. Being human, not a raptor, had had Owen adapt to his new life.</p>
<p>The past was the past. He enjoyed the present. And he planned the future, but never too far ahead. He made up contingency plans, and he something liked to think about possibilities.</p>
<p>Owen scrubbed a hand through his tousled hair, paint flaking through his fingers. He felt sweaty and probably looked a mess, he mused.</p>
<p>Agreement floated through his mind and he gave his peanut gallery a mock glare. Charlie shot him a cocky look. Echo studied him closely, then sneezed. Delta couldn't be any less bothered.</p>
<p>"I don't see you helping," he muttered.</p>
<p>Blue's amusement was accompanied by the pack's general air of laughter. It wasn't really a sound, more of a sensation, but Owen's brain simply translated it into what was normal for him. It wasn't telepathy, as he had tried to explain once. He knew what they said without any of them using human words. That simple. That complicated.</p>
<p>Owen had taken to fixing his deck, which really needed a good stripping and paint job, and while he could have asked park maintenance, he liked the physical work. Repetitive, not requiring higher brain functions, almost relaxing, and it left him to muse about this or that.</p>
<p>Mostly his personal life, it seemed.</p>
<p>He didn't really lack it; he just didn't want the more private thoughts out in the spotlight. He had some really close and good friends at the park. He had friends he could rely on, who had proven to be more than just surface relationships among colleagues, but none went into a more private area, a more intimate one, and truth be told, Owen had neither looked nor did he miss it.</p>
<p>Okay, so sometimes he wondered. Sometimes he thought about sharing his life with another person. Someone who had an insight into what it meant to be Owen Grady, Chief Raptor Behavioral Analyst, secretly called 'The Raptor Whisperer'. The pack was closer to him than any human being ever could be. Nothing could break apart the link between them and Owen didn't think even another individual with his abilities could ever insert themselves into that bond. No one of his talent had ever come out of a mind-bond with an animal absolutely sane and with his full capacities.</p>
<p>Owen Grady was still himself. He also wasn't looking for more than friendships, which he had, and since breaking up with Claire, he hadn't been in any kind of close relationship ever again. Maybe he warned of interested parties. Or maybe he gave off vibes that warned anyone even thinking about approaching him.</p>
<p>There had been a few flirting attempts from visiting students, assistant keepers, and one memorable visiting scientist. Nothing had come of it.</p>
<p>But something had developed. One-sided, turning into something he couldn't really put into a handy compartment. He hadn't been prepared for wanting someone, for appreciating another human being on that level, for actually hoping that it might be something more.</p>
<p>Dan Carter.</p>
<p>Jurassic World's chief of security. A man who had grown from warily regarded new guy in charge of security to respected co-worker to a really good friend and someone who had had his back in the past.</p>
<p>It was hard not to like the man. It was hard to resist the laid-back, so well-balanced nature that seemed to complement Owen's slightly less by the book one.</p>
<p>But Owen tried.</p>
<p>He failed. Miserably. Spectacularly.</p>
<p>They worked smoothly together. Carter asked intelligent, to the point questions, evaluated situations carefully, had this ease about him that hid a sharp and agile mind, and he had shown on more than one occasion that he understood more about Owen's position than many outsiders had before. He analyzed, drew conclusions, asked for input, then made up his mind.</p>
<p>It was how he had evaluated the threat level of the four raptors and their handler.</p>
<p>He had also been the one to propose training his teams with the raptors. He knew Owen patrolled the island, that the restricted area was more or less the pack's playground. He had supported the placement of cameras, had instigated meetings that detailed Grady's importance, coupled with the clear warning never to shoot live ammo, and to treat all four raptors with respect. Everyone on the teams was no well-versed in dinosaurs, especially Owen's patrol unit, and there hadn't been an incident between the security officers and the raptors at all.</p>
<p>Their friendship had strengthened, especially after Owen's run-in with the poachers. Carter had trusted in the agitated pack not to harm him as he helped the injured alpha out of the belly of the old ship, getting him medical help, and that had gained him more than respect in their eyes.</p>
<p>It had cemented a fact. An unmovable fact.</p>
<p>The man had become part of the pack; changing from accepted ally, someone who was their protector and would be protected in turn, to true pack.</p>
<p>And now… in Owen's eyes… and judging by how he kept gravitating toward him, he was more. But…</p>
<p>Yeah, what? What was he?</p>
<p>Owen straightened and felt his spine almost pop, muscles groaning in relief.</p>
<p>Blue's huff had him meet the reptilian eyes, cool and knowing, pushing something at her alpha that Owen refused to be baited into actively considering, let alone talk about.</p>
<p>She was calling him a coward, in her own way, without putting the sensations into words. Owen was too adept not to read between those eddies and hums.</p>
<p>"He's my friend," he argued out loud, wiping his brow. "That's it!"</p>
<p>He got something along the lines of 'suit yourself' thrown back at him.</p>
<p>Friend, he insisted firmly in his head. Really good friend. Best buds. Having each other's back.</p>
<p>They hung out together after work. They met up throughout either man's patrols. They were completely in tune when it came to the safety of this place, of every living being on the island, and Carter's protective instincts rivalled those of Owen. Dan was more than a colleague, an associate. He was more than just part of the security measures in place, paid to keep an eye on not just the visitors and the official area of the park, but also have one on Grady's place.</p>
<p>Yes, he was so much more. His reaction toward the man's presence had changed. Sharing a beer was normal. Or going over security protocols, video feeds and the latest antics of some visitors who liked to test the limits of Jurassic World's safety features. But there was more. There was this low thrum going through Grady, a whisper of wanting more. He chalked it up to being on his own for too long, only him and the girls.</p>
<p>But Carter understood the pack, his treacherous brain reminded him. That was something not many could say. Especially someone who wasn't preternaturally talented. The man didn't have a shred of ability, but he could read the four raptors and he could read Owen Grady.</p>
<p>Which should be disturbing, maybe even frightening, but it was anything but that. Dan was the one person Owen could just be who he was. He could drop the game face, let loose, show his true nature as he worked with his four girls.</p>
<p>That should have been a clue-by-four, but he ignored it. He was rather good at ignoring blatantly obvious signs when it came to his own emotions and his private life in regard of intimacy and relationships.</p>
<p>Sure, Laurel, Nancy, Reggie and all the other preternaturally talented keepers understood who and what Owen Grady was, but they didn't really know him; the real him. The person who was both alpha of a raptor pack and also a rather isolated human being in one handsome package. He had never looked for a partner, for an intimate relationship, because that person would have to be pack-accepted. That person would have to accept the pack and everything that came with it in turn.</p>
<p>Dan… had. In so many ways. Small ways. It also showed in the behavior of the raptors around him, his body language, his energy, which was so similar to his own.</p>
<p>Blue agreed, pushing the deeper meaning at him.</p>
<p>Owen cleaned his hands on a towel and walked over to where the pack was dozing in the shade or, in Echo's case, bathing in the sandpit with gusto.</p>
<p>"He isn't part of the pack bond."</p>
<p>
  <i>Connection between pack is more than what we share with you, Owen.</i>
</p>
<p>Carter's connection to them was through Owen first and through their interactions with him second. He had developed a rapport with each, but Delta favorited him the most. She liked him, responded to his energy, to his clear alpha vibes, and she liked how he responded to her.</p>
<p><i>No other would fit</i>, Blue argued.</p>
<p>Because Dan Carter was a pack leader of his own. He was in charge of park security, handled all kinds of confrontations, and he settled them, unless things were escalated to Claire. Claire in turn would stand by his side, listen to the facts, and she had yet to undermine his authority in any matter.</p>
<p>Carter was alpha, and he could be the alpha's companion.</p>
<p><i>Mate</i>, Delta suggested slyly.</p>
<p>Owen stiffened, denial rushing through him. <i>What the…? Okay, that really has to stop!</i></p>
<p>Too fast. Too much.</p>
<p>They weren't even at a level that could be described as a relationship, aside from being good friends who had occasionally come a little bit closer than mere buddies. Not that Grady would readily confess to checking out the other man, enjoying what was on display, and maybe a little day-dreaming.</p>
<p>Maybe more than a little, a traitorous part of his brain sniggered.</p>
<p>Blue gave another huff, sounding almost annoyed and a little judging.</p>
<p>"It's not that simple," he muttered.</p>
<p>
  <i>It is.</i>
</p>
<p>He was drawn to the other man. Dan was always around, even on his days off when he could enjoy doing whatever he wanted to, and so far his vacation days were accumulating. He hadn't talked about spending them on the mainland or flying somewhere. Whenever he was off duty he was around.</p>
<p>Or when his patrols crossed Owen's path, his beta pointed out unhelpfully.</p>
<p>He gave them a dark look and stalked back to where his paint work was waiting, pushing all other thoughts aside. He didn't have a teenage crush on the ruggedly handsome blond!</p>
<p>Too bad that his brain liked to circle back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been four months since Owen Grady had shattered, going past perceived limitations of his preternatural talent and touching the minds of every animal in the park. He had gone beyond what a talented human should be capable of.</p>
<p>And he had come back.</p>
<p>Because of Blue, his anchor. Because of the pack, his shield. Sure, Blue had dug her talon into his hip, the pain enough to throw him out of his downward spiral, but had to have been her. No one else would have been able to reach him.</p>
<p>The four raptors were vicious little guards around his mind, jealously keeping him to themselves, and he loved them for that single-minded possessiveness. It had helped him survive and come out sane and with all faculties intact. Their presence kept the nightmares on a level he could deal with. He didn't wake up screaming. He didn't fall into a valley of despair. As before, with the i-rex, he handled it like a raptor would: it had happened, they had won, life went on.</p>
<p>But he hadn't been back to how he had been before the catastrophic event. Owen was quite aware of the still existing possibility, the enhanced ability, his enhanced talent to now step past his former limits and touch the others. The herds of herbivores, the carnivore packs, the lone hunters.</p>
<p>And maybe more.</p>
<p>That had been a frightening, really a very nightmare inducing train of thought he hadn't shared with anyone. All preternaturals like him and his fellow keepers, those chosen because they had a knack to connect with their charges, could in theory also touch a human mind.</p>
<p>No one ever had. Human minds were chaotic and overwhelming and natural defense mechanisms stopped the preter in question from going there. Those who had tried in the past had descended into madness and even killed themselves. A select few had chosen a hermit lifestyle, away from humanity, never to be seen again.</p>
<p>Owen had always heeded his grandfather's warning and he had always concentrated on animals.</p>
<p>When he had pushed out his talent, trying to survive against Sorna raptors and overwhelming their minds – in the process also overwhelming himself and breaking his shields – he might even have been aware of the complex human minds among them, but because of that complexity he had instinctively shied away.</p>
<p>By now, four months later, he was back to his old self. At least on the outside. His new ability had remained. He was stronger now. So powerful, even the t-rex regarded him with more curiosity and attention than before. Rexy Sue was a very settled, very old presence, but even she had reacted to him, his touch, and later his physical presence when it had all been over.</p>
<p>So yes, traces had remained.</p>
<p>Things had changed.</p>
<p>The pack had been a tight-knit group before, but now they were even more. He could let himself go and fall into the pack-mind, in no danger to be overwhelmed by them. Blue was still his primary anchor. She wouldn't move, wouldn't budge for a second, and she stood strong and brave in any psychic storm. The others were stronger now, had evolved with the threat, sliding into place should they be needed to bolster him, pull him back from the brink.</p>
<p>Owen had tried meditation, something Nancy had told him would help. It was her way of connecting safely to M, the mosasaurus she was the handler of, and it evened her out, helped her relax, strengthen her body and soul. Well, it wasn't really Owen's way of dealing with things, so the few times he did try to meditate, he usually ended up surrounded by his four ladies, snuggling up to him, humming and rumbling, wondering what their alpha was doing.</p>
<p>Because they did it for him. They were his guardians, his bodyguards.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For some reason the question as to whether or not Carter was even interested in men never crossed Owen's mind. It was instinct. He knew. The pack agreed, their instincts needing no explanation in human terms either. It was one reason why they didn't understand their alpha's reluctance to make the next step, to offer, to propose more than a shared beer and a sleep-over, sharing living space but not a bed.</p>
<p>"Humans are complicated, ladies," Owen just sighed as he cleaned the harness and checked each strap.</p>
<p>Charlie snorted, shaking her head as if to dislodge something bothersome. Delta rumbled, clearly annoyed and slightly on the cranky side this morning. Echo was dozing. She had been chasing wild chickens all morning.</p>
<p><i>You think too much</i>, Blue told him.</p>
<p>Yeah. Well. Kinda. Maybe. No? Not enough, probably. Too much, another part argued.</p>
<p>Owen didn't want one wrong move to end a really good friendship. He liked Dan too much to risk it. They were comfortable with one another.</p>
<p>The pack unanimously agreed that Dan Carter wouldn't be put off or say no. His energy was perfect. He fit. He was part of them and had been for a while.</p>
<p>Still…</p>
<p>If Blue could have rolled her eyes, she would have. Hard. Really, really hard.</p>
<p>They were dancing around each other, but Owen didn't like risking everything he had here, had built within the walls of the park and on this island. Not when it came to such an important step like someone who would become part of the pack.</p>
<p>Which Dan already was, his brain sing-songed. He had communicated with them from day one. Never in words, just his body. They had responded to him and his energy, and they still did.</p>
<p>But if things went south, Carter would still be chief of security and Grady would still be here.</p>
<p>No, he wouldn't risk upsetting the dynamics.</p>
<p>The pack just gave him this pointed look and Delta almost looked disgusted. She lifted her lips in a grimace that showed sharp teeth. Charlie huffed and joined Delta in her sun spot. Blue simply nosed against him and he patted her neck.</p>
<p>"No wise words? Or wise ass remarks?"</p>
<p>She snuffled. <i>You are an idiot.</i></p>
<p>That about summed it all up. And it wasn't something he could disagree with.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wow, guys! GUYS! You had my inbox blow up with your comments! Thank you so much! I didn't expect that kind of wildy enthusiastic reception! Just, wow! Thank you so much, everyone! I'm humbled and amazed!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Owen pushed his turbulent thoughts about one blond chief of security aside when Barry Devoe arrived. Barry no longer worked at the raptor paddock as part of an internship, nor had he applied for an assistant position with Owen. Everyone knew there were no positions available at this particular place and never would be. Owen requested help when he needed it, but otherwise he was alone. He didn’t need guards, he didn’t need additional trainers, and he didn’t teach others. And interns were blacklisted. All of them. That had been a learning experience and while Owen had called it, he didn’t keep rubbing it in. The whole incident had been bad enough and had nearly destroyed the whole program.</p>
<p>Barry was one of the few trusted assistants and had somehow made it into the small pool of people the raptors viewed as trustworthy. At least to a certain degree.</p>
<p>This time Devoe came with a delivery of meat that both men lugged over to the locker.</p>
<p>“Should be enough,” Barry commented, patting the side of the small truck.</p>
<p>“Yeah. You’d think.”</p>
<p>The other man chuckled. “Hungry hungry hippos?”</p>
<p>There was an affronted sounding rumble and chittering.</p>
<p>“Kinda. But they run it off.”</p>
<p>They unloaded several sides of frozen beef, storing it all in Owen’s rather big meat locker. Barry caught him up on the latest news, interspersed with some gossip, but it was mainly just information on what was going on in the other enclosures. Devoe had moved from being a fixed addition to any area to someone who helped out wherever help was needed. That meant he was always best informed about changes in personnel or the animal population.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They settled down above the enclosure on the viewing platform and Barry pulled out a set of games he had been thinking about to work on the raptors' dexterity, speed, thinking, and problem solving skills. He had browsed the internet, had read through publications about pack animals and what trainers and handlers did to keep them on their toes, alert and interested. Grady tweaked some of those games to fit a raptor, then they set out to see what the recipients thought of their ideas.</p>
<p>"They love puzzles," Barry commented.</p>
<p>
He nodded. Echo and Charlie in particular. Delta was more interested in chasing and pouncing things. Anything that contained snacks and had to be taken apart was highly sought after. Blue dismantled a box without shredding it, like Delta did, almost delicately unfolding the layers until she reached her treat.</p>
<p>It got Barry thinking on how to change some of the set-ups for other enclosures, and both men spent time brainstorming, making notes and sketches.</p>
<p>"We might just get Sue to like something, too," he laughed.</p>
<p>Owen snorted. "If she could she would flip us off any single time we put a toy or some form of game-structure feeding device into her enclosure."</p>
<p>She was very set in her ways and didn't like routine to be disturbed by her caretakers' attempts to make her days more interesting, adding fun, engaging her brain. She usually ignored them after inspecting new things.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen handed his friend and former assistant-intern a list of needed supplements for the raptors and some basic stuff for himself. Facility management was about to come by and pick up the latest load of raptor crap for the biogas unit.</p>
<p>"Oh, and we're getting new students," Devoe said as he uploaded the shopping list to the park's intranet. "They arrive by ferry day after tomorrow. I looked at their rotations. Their first week is theoretical stuff only, introductory courses and the whole getting to know you."</p>
<p>"As long as they give me a wide berth."</p>
<p>"The warnings signs for Masrani Global HR couldn’t be bigger. I guess half is always hoping that some kind of miracle happens. Some more believe good grades help with special treatment. Those who have a more realistic approach are really few. You might get a few fanboys and girls."</p>
<p>Owen sighed.</p>
<p>"You heard about the sinoceratopes?" Barry changed topics.</p>
<p>"I heard they finally hatched three successfully." Which translated in: they hatched and survived the first twenty-four hours.</p>
<p>"Yep, and Maike called me this morning to say they're taking them over to the Gentle Giants. They have grown into three very strong ladies. I'm heading over there later on to take a look. Wanna come along?"</p>
<p>"They're already in the petting area?" Owen asked.</p>
<p>"No. Behind the scenes. They're getting accustomed to the others, then to the visitors. So, you in? We might just get some coffee and maybe one of Melissa's new cupcake creations?"</p>
<p>He had to laugh. "Sure."</p>
<p>"By the way, did you take part in Serena's poll on the next movie night?"</p>
<p>"Romantic comedies versus documentaries? You know it's going to be romantic comedies."</p>
<p>"My bet's on something with Sandra Bullock."</p>
<p>"It's always her or the British guy. Or both."</p>
<p>"Popcorn's on Reggie. He lost a bet against Josh." He held up a hand. "Don't ask. Enjoy the popcorn. And vote for the documentaries!" he teased.</p>
<p>Owen shook his head, grinning. "Sorry. Already did the deed."</p>
<p>"Sandra Bullock?"</p>
<p>He winked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Movie night turned out to be two movies in a row that were absolutely cliché and you didn't need to be a psychic to know the plotline and the outcome. Owen still enjoyed himself, the company, and especially the popcorn. There was a stack of muffins and donuts from the bakery and someone had brought along drinks of all kinds, with and without alcohol.</p>
<p>This time, Carter wasn’t there or came in later. He was on duty. Owen had secretly hoped for some friendly back-up while watching rom-coms, but oh well.</p>
<p>There were cheers, running commentaries on some of the cheesier scenes, and some groaned at the sugary pink clouds plot. Eddie Molina called for two new categories for the next vote at the end of the night.</p>
<p>Owen had to laugh when it came down to Ray Harryhausen movies or  Sharknado 1 and 2.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At the end of the week, Dr. Gary Themming dropped by for his quarterly check-up, going through all the regular questions with Owen, then doing an eyes-only check.</p>
<p>"Any problems?" he asked routinely.</p>
<p>"Nope. All's well. No rashes, no fungus, no turned stomach or fever. The usual scuffle bruising and once a strained finger because Charlie got stuck. It healed without a problem. I checked. She has full mobility again."</p>
<p>Themming made notes. He didn’t even ask how Grady had checked the strained finger. He knew better. He inspected Owen's emergency kit for the raptors. He exchanged some medication that was near the expiration date and signed the appropriate sheet.</p>
<p>"I wish all my visits were this easy."</p>
<p>"Hn. Let me guess. The babies got sick?"</p>
<p>"That's a given. They eat just about anything when their handlers aren't looking. You know how we had a bug in the aviary?"</p>
<p>Owen nodded. He remembered the memo. The fliers were all on medication to calm their upset digestive system. Eddie Molina, head keeper of the aviary, had had his hands full and had requested all hands on deck. None of the fliers had died, but a few looked critical.</p>
<p>"Two didn't make it. Pteranodons, both of them. The dimorphodons are the hardier ones, all fine and getting stir-crazy as we put them in a different area to quarantine."</p>
<p>Owen grimaced. He hated to hear that they had lost any of their residents. The aviary had just been repopulated a year ago and they had flourished until the bug.</p>
<p>"I'm there almost daily. We have two more looking critical. So hearing about nothing but a strained muscle or some bruises with your pack is actually a relief. Well, I'll see you in three months, unless something happens before that, which I hope not."</p>
<p>"Fingers crossed."</p>
<p>Themming packed his bag, loaded the jeep, and was off no fifteen minutes later.</p>
<p>Owen clapped his hands, smiling at the four very expectantly looking raptors. "Right! Time to get ready for our own quarterly trip, ladies. Ready for some nights in the wild?"</p>
<p>They yipped and barked in response.</p>
<p>He laughed, feeling their excitement to get out, to run, to chase and hunt.</p>
<p>He walked into the enclosure like he always did: calm, confident and assertive. He had never changed his approach, even with the growing understanding of his pack and deepening bond to each of them. He knew his behavior influenced theirs, despite their continuous evolution. They flocked around him, Blue joining him as the beta she was, and Owen ran a caress over each flank, pushing back inquisitive noses.</p>
<p>"Time to get ready. Echo, front and center. Delta, Charlie, back. Give us some room. You know the drill."</p>
<p>Echo snarled at Charlie, who was dancing out of reach, then she presented herself to get the saddle bags strapped to her body. She watched with pride as Owen tightened the straps, then flexed her muscles to check her movements. Everything looked good and felt evenly distributed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Following protocol he took the tracker, the GPS and his back-up cell with him as they headed for the restricted area. It had been almost a year since the incident with the poachers, but Carter wouldn't stop reminding him about safety protocols, about handing in his travel itinerary, calling dispatch to log out and then again to confirm he had arrived at the intended location.</p>
<p>Owen understood. His girls were adamant about their alpha remaining safe, and they had been close to paranoid the first two or three times they had ventured into the restricted area after Owen had healed again.</p>
<p>Yes, he understood and he followed protocol.</p>
<p>"I'm off," he told the control center.</p>
<p>"Roger that," came the professional reply.</p>
<p>And off they went, with Blue in the lead, Delta carrying the cameras, Echo being the load carrier, Charlie running with the back-up camera and a new backpack Owen had created. It contained various gear and he wanted to test how it worked when attached to a raptor. Charlie was a little wary of the weight on her back, which was actually next to nothing compared to Echo's bags, and she moved cautiously until she trusted in herself and the backpack.</p>
<p>Owen took up the rear them to keep an eye on things.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were taking the backroads that only patrol and maintenance used. Control had cleared his path, telling everyone to stay clear of the roads for a specific window.</p>
<p>To run into Carter was almost expected. He was sitting on the hood of his jeep, decked out in full gear, and Owen felt a surge of recognition and joy race across the bond as Delta and then Charlie discovered him. They stopped at a distance, greeting him with low barks and chugging noises.</p>
<p>Owen stopped the bike, looking a little windblown, grinning at the display. At the edge of his senses, the pack sense, something pinged. It was always there when he ran into Carter, especially when they were alone.</p>
<p>"Come to see us off?"</p>
<p>The man was the epitome of calm. It seemed to spread out from him, wrap itself around the raptors and their handler in one. No shred of nervousness or apprehension. More like appreciation of the four agile, sinewy forms. And Owen.</p>
<p>Carter ran a quick eye over the geared-up raptors, checking the cameras, the bags, then stopped as he rested his gaze on Owen. His brows rose.</p>
<p>"Tracker?"</p>
<p>"Yes, Mom. Control's checked it. It works. And you can log into the camera feed."</p>
<p>Which Carter had never done and told Owen he wouldn't do so unless dire circumstances left him no other choice. Owen trusted him this much, with a personal code that not even Lorenzo from Carter's tech division knew. He could track them, could watch them, but he didn't.</p>
<p>"Good. Check in. Keep in contact."</p>
<p>"Aren't you a little paranoid? This is just a pack outing. We're not going to hunt for trespassers."</p>
<p>Charlie perked up, rumbling. In her eyes, trespassers were fair game.</p>
<p>Carter's eyes narrowed at the raptor and she huffed, flexing her claws. Owen didn't get any annoyance off her, a sense of intimidation or attempted domination. She didn't feel like Dan was intruding, trying to establish himself in the pack hierarchy.</p>
<p>Because he was already part of it, something whispered. Owen pushed it aside.</p>
<p>But the sensation remained. That warm, intense sensation that this was pack. So much more than Alan could ever be, even if he would one day maybe make the step and accept Echo.</p>
<p>"I hope not," the chief of security said, eyes still on Charlie. "Because I really hate the clean-up. The reports are endless."</p>
<p>She snarled and shook herself. His grin was almost teasing, as if he understood, as if he…</p>
<p>Owen refused to read too much into this interaction, but it hadn't been the first time. The pack reacted to Dan like they would to another pack mate. He treated them like he would his troopers.</p>
<p>Blue, standing right next to Owen, hummed so low only he could hear it. Her expression, while not remotely human, was easy for him to read. He didn't even need the back and forth along the link.</p>
<p>"As always, be careful out there. All of you," Carter added and slid off the hood.</p>
<p>Delta barked, clearly offended by his lack of trust in her abilities, and he shook his head.</p>
<p>"We all know what you tangled with, lady. You've got the scars to prove it."</p>
<p>She snarled, but it wasn't aggressive. Carter had to walk past her to get into his jeep as Delta was closest to the car. She purposefully huffed warm air at him and Owen saw the twitch of amusement, then the almost aborted move to pat the sinewy neck. Delta radiated pleased accomplishment, then trotted off. Echo followed, chittering.</p>
<p>Owen just mock-saluted their chief of security, then gunned the engine. Blue was at his side and Charlie picked up speed to catch up to her sisters.</p>
<p>No, best not think about these kinds of interactions. It would only end in headaches.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy New Year everyone! Hope you had a good start!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If the Isla Sorna incident that had nearly ended with Owen Grady killed by three stressed-out, starved Sorna raptors had shown one thing, it was that security around the former Site B was lacking. Severely lacking. There was a flourishing trade in illegally acquired dinosaur parts, be it living animals or dead ones.</p>
<p>Ever since John Hammond had successfully created live dinosaurs, entrepreneurs had tried to get a piece of them. One way or the other. Hammond's heirs had exploited his legacy, mercenaries and hunters had been sent after the dinosaurs living in the wilds of Isla Sorna, and they had been illegally sold to whatever organization, business or privateer had paid the asking price or more.</p>
<p>When Masrani Global had taken control of this legacy, Masrani had done everything in his power to protect his investment. Whenever even a shred of dinosaur tissue was found somewhere, he sent his lawyers in and took down those who had brought or sold it.</p>
<p>Simon Masrani had taken one look at the report about poachers on his island and had launched a new investigation into the black market of dinosaurs like no national or international police force could have done or imagined. The man had the power and the money to fund a private task force that pursued, relentlessly pursued, those who had stolen from Sorna, or even Nublar, and who had been stupid enough to put it on the net for sale.</p>
<p>The poachers had been just the tip of the iceberg and Masrani’s task force was cracking down on whoever owned a dinosaur that was easily traced back to Masrani Global. Because every dinosaur belonged to Masrani Global. His lawyers easily breezed through any counter-actions by those wealthy enough to buy the illegal animals. A lot were seized, most had to be put down because of the catastrophic conditions they were in, and a select few had been brought back into the Quarantine unit on Isla Nublar. Not many survived even here.</p>
<p>It was heartbreaking to see and hear about.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Masrani Global's lawyers were like sharks, pursuing their prey with only a drop of blood in the water and with absolutely no regard to whom it was. No matter the name, the position, the old money or the connections. The dinosaurs were Masrani's property and it was theft and corporate espionage, clear and simple.</p>
<p>No one who had seen the results of the poaching, be it the dead animals on Isla Sorna, the condition the ones rescued from the boat had been in, or those they had repossessed, had had any sympathy.</p>
<p>There had been images going around, pictures and videos taken by the task force, showing corpses, crippled animals, malnourished, mistreated, held in tiny cages. They had been bought in illegal auctions and the buyers had had no idea how to take care of them.</p>
<p>Even worse images showed parts sold to collectors and people who thought they had amazing healing properties. Some handlers had looked so furious, so absolutely murderous, it had even scared the hardiest of InGen troopers. And the baby nurses, the vet assistants raising the freshly hatched dinosaurs, had been seen cuddling their charges extra hard.</p>
<p>Owen knew he had been struck hard by seeing dead baby raptors. He had felt sick to the bone, mind presenting him with images of Blue, Charlie, Delta and Echo when they had been just infants, barely reaching up to his knees. And imagining them with ribs sticking out, grayishly sick and dried out skin or even missing toes and fingers gave him more nightmares than the i-rex ever had.</p>
<p>The pack didn't understand his emotions toward animals he had never met. They were dead. It was the past. They hadn't been part of the pack.</p>
<p>"Yeah, that's just us humans," he told Blue as she nosed at him. He stroked over her neck and let himself lean against her cool, more detached mind. "We have a vivid imagination. It could have been you."</p>
<p>
  <i>It was never us. We are here.</i>
</p>
<p>"Others weren't so lucky."</p>
<p>She made soft, rumbling noises.</p>
<p><i>Not us</i>, the others echoed.</p>
<p>Yes, not them. Thankfully not them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was a joint international operation that eradicated a whole gambling and battle arena where people too rich to even care about the law anymore had set up fights between dinosaurs of all kinds. Reports also mentioned them setting up smaller dinosaurs against present day predators, or using teenage trices like bulls in a bull fight. No one didn’t feel sorry for anyone involved on the wrong side of the operation. He knew people had been killed by law enforcement agents in the raids, but too many innocent animals had died prior and still would.</p>
<p>Those animals rescued from the battle arena all had had to be put down. Many had severe injuries, badly healed breaks, showed signs of malnourishment and mistreatment. They were reacting either violently, close to psychotically to any person approaching them, or they just lay, sat or stood apathetically in their cages.</p>
<p>"I want to lock them up in those cages so badly!" Nancy stated, fury in her eyes. "Tiny, tiny cages! And leave them without food or water! How can they do this?!"</p>
<p>"Money," was Josh's soft answer. "Lots of money."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Isla Sorna had gotten state of the art security, with patrols that covered every square inch of international waters surrounding the island and regular air patrols by remote drones and the occasional manned flight. It drove off adventure seekers and thrill-riders, as well as the rather illegal tourist tours offered by some shady entrepreneurs.</p>
<p>The whole Sorna Security branch of InGen could have been put under Dan Carter’s command. Masrani had talked to him and Claire, separately and together, and they had unanimously decided that it would stretch Carter’s resources thin and could endanger safety and security at the park. Jurassic World was huge, with too many people relying on every safety measure in place to work. Taking Carter’s attention away from that to also handle Sorna and maybe more would have been insane.</p>
<p>“Commander in Chief of all security,” Owen teased as they watched Nancy train with M. No visitors yet.</p>
<p>“No thanks,” Carter replied wryly, sipping at his breakfast coffee. “Got my hands full here.”</p>
<p>“Would have been one hell of a promotion.”</p>
<p>“Like island alpha?” came the pointed reply.</p>
<p>Owen grimaced. “I’m not,” he muttered.</p>
<p>“You are. Suck it up, Grady. But no, I’m not interested at all. Not even with a pay raise. It’s also too much for one man to handle. Masrani knows it. He offered to transfer me to Isla Sorna Security, though, head a task force.”</p>
<p>Owen’s head whipped around, eyes narrowing briefly, his whole body tensing. It was like an electric current running through him, locking muscles, making breathing difficult.</p>
<p>Dan gave him an easy smile, as if he hadn’t registered the reaction at all. “Not interested either.” He gestured at the AquaPark and beyond. “I like it here.”</p>
<p>In front of them, M was lazily swimming in circles. One huge flipper rose out of the water and beat down on the surface, making it splash. Her tail followed as she dived.</p>
<p>“And someone needs to keep an eye on you, Grady. You are a walking trouble magnet.”</p>
<p>Owen shot him a narrow-eyed look. “Watch it, Carter.”</p>
<p>It got him an insolent grin.</p>
<p>Something inside Owen relaxed again, breathing more easily.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>So a new branch of InGen was instated, solely for Isla Sorna, and the private task force that was pursuing poachers and dealers was expanded on. Carter got regular reports and he grimly read through them all. He wanted to know what was happening on Sorna. Scientists still went there to study dinosaurs in the wild and some of them came through Nublar on their way to Sorna or back home. Some of his own scientists stayed at the dangerous island for a stretch of time and then came back home.</p>
<p>Carter himself had been to Sorna once and that had been enough for him. He hadn’t even ventured further than the beach and that had been freaky enough. The park gave a measure of safety, but Sorna was wild. Those animals had evolved from the first test tube batches. No one knew much about them. You had no safety measures but your own instincts, the weapons you brought along, and some good old common sense, though some people seemed to lack it.</p>
<p>It was a relief for the chief of security that their resident raptor expert hadn’t asked to return. Owen Grady was level-headed, rational and very reasonable.</p>
<p>It made Carter’s life so much easier. Having to deal with the rest of the scientist who were vying for the scarce few places on the expeditions to Sorna was bad enough.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Emotionally, Owen managed to mostly stay on the safe side. Invitations to movie nights with his friends in one of the auditoriums were always extended to troopers, and especially their commander in chief. It paid to be on good terms with them and after the various incidents, staff and InGen security had become closer. Dan accepted when he didn’t have a shift, a meeting, or simply needed to catch up on sleep. One time he had accepted and arrived just after a draining exercise and follow-up meeting, and he ended up sleeping through it all, movie, popcorn, everything.</p>
<p>Owen hadn’t really minded.</p>
<p>Not at all.</p>
<p>He had felt relaxed, at ease, absolutely there in the present with the sleeping man, who hadn't even roused for the big fight scene.</p>
<p>It was the first time he allowed himself the concession that yes, there was something there that went beyond the physical. He would be blind not to see that Dan Carter was good on the eyes. He drew looks. Some staff liked to comment on it. There might have been a few attempts to flirt or even ask him out over coffee, but Carter had yet to be seen associating with anyone outside work or friendly get-togethers.</p>
<p>Except Owen.</p>
<p>And Grady couldn't shake this intense feeling of pleasure.</p>
<p>"Sorry," he Carter yawned when he came awake throughout the end credits.</p>
<p>"Looks like you needed it. Night cap?"</p>
<p>Another stifled yawn. "Sure."</p>
<p>They found a corner and sat down, each with his chosen beverage. While Owen stayed with the non-alcoholic drinks, Carter chose a beer and the enjoyed the almost-privacy and quiet of a late night park, empty of visitors, with the sounds of the animals. There were grunts, rumbles, the occasional monkey call, and a few barks or cries. He nodded at his people when patrols passed them, but nothing much disturbed them.</p>
<p>It was nice.</p>
<p>Owen liked it a lot; could get used to it. Already had gotten used to it.</p>
<p>There had been so many subtle hints and signs. And even more not so subtle ones.</p>
<p>But even if he had the brief, insane sensation of connection to the man next to him, he chose to ignore it. It was his go-to, knee-jerk reaction. Had worked for him so far.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then there were parties. Various reasons launched a get-together with colleagues and friends: a new batch of babies that had survived the critical weeks. A birthday. An anniversary. Or Christmas.</p>
<p>It should have been very tell-tale that Carter didn’t leave the island for any of the holidays. He was always there. There had been the occasional talks about family. Owen had told him about his grandfather, about how talented he had been. About his great-aunt, who had been the one to run with a tiger, getting lost in the other mind, in the wildness. He had told him about his military service, handling dogs, connecting but never bonding to the animals he worked with.</p>
<p>Dan had opened up about his own family, which was a military one, no surprises there. He came from a long line of military men and women. He had two sisters, both military, too. He didn’t lose a lot of words about his own military service, which was a glaring sign for ‘black ops top secret’. Owen didn’t press him for details either.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>That the Hilton Resort’s Christmas party found the two men quietly slipping away to let the night run out into a calm, balmy morning on Owen’s deck was a really big clue. Which he still ignored.</p>
<p>There was a rather gaudy little Christmas tree, electric blue with bright yellow lights that blinked erratically. Carter just shot him a look.</p>
<p>“Don’t dis the tree,” Owen muttered.</p>
<p>“So that’s what you call a tree. Ah.”</p>
<p>He threw a wadded up napkin at him, which Carter dodged easily.</p>
<p>“It’s a heirloom.”</p>
<p>“Heirloom.”</p>
<p>“Is there an echo out here?!”</p>
<p>Dan grinned lazily. “This atrocity looks like you either won it in a raffle or ordered it drunk on some online site late at night.”</p>
<p>Owen sunk deeper into his chair, grunting.</p>
<p>“Drunk ordering it is then.”</p>
<p>“Oh bite me!”</p>
<p>But Carter had hit the bull’s eye. It had been a long time ago. He had been extremely drunk and everyone had laughed their collective butts off when the order had arrived.</p>
<p>Well, it was atrocious, absolutely an eye-sore, yes, but it was a Christmas tree. A little on the unorthodox side, but a tree. And not even the girls had tried to steal it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carter drove home after sunrise, already checking in with Hamada. He was on for the afternoon shift and would try to catch some sleep. Owen checked on his girls, found them in need of nothing, and decided his own bed might be a good idea.</p>
<p>Blue just gave him that Look. A very human, very exasperated look.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There had been no big fireworks display for New Year's, but an amazing laser show that had drawn visitors and staff alike. It was silent, aside from the music that accompanied the amazing images, so it didn't disturb the various animals at all.</p>
<p>Owen had enjoyed it all, allowing himself to relax. Carter had briefly dropped by the main viewing area, singling out where Laurel, Reggie, Josh, Nancy and Owen had watched the display in their own private little corner.</p>
<p>"Here to check if anything is on fire?" Laurel teased. She handed him a glass of sparkly, colorful liquid. "Happy New Year!"</p>
<p>“I'm working,” he stated. “Even with just about five hundred visitors we get the idiots who think they can just waltz into a place that says ‘staff only’. Not to mention the bachelor party who decided to raid the bar and become a major nuisance. Someone's going to wake up with a major headache and a large cleaning and repair bill. Hotel management is done being lenient with idiots. One of them nearly set their bed on fire.”</p>
<p>Laurel gave him a sympathetic look. “No rest for the wicked,” she teased. “And that’s a virgin one. Can’t have the chief of security out of commission.”</p>
<p>It got her a brief, narrow-eyed look, which had her laugh. Carter took the glass and sipped at the drink.</p>
<p>"We're good here," Owen told him when the other man gave him a prompting look. "All quiet. Nothing's on fire either."</p>
<p>"One of the reasons he came here," Nancy chimed in. At Carter's sharp warning expression she added, "No idiot tourists, no beds on fire."</p>
<p>"I don't envy maintenance," Reggie said. "Clean up after the holidays is always messy. I walked past a group of some older ladies. I think they are having a drinking competition."</p>
<p>"Oh goody," Nancy groaned. "Remind me to take the long route back then."</p>
<p>The radio went off, requesting Carter at Winston's. He grimaced. "Alright. See you later."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>No, Owen decided, he couldn’t ask Dan to change his life. And becoming closer to the alpha of a pack, becoming more than a friend and ally, would do that: change Carter’s life. Absolutely.</p>
<p>He would be the alpha’s mate.</p>
<p><i>Isn’t he already?</i> Blue asked, head tilted.</p>
<p>Owen froze. He stared at his beta, who was nothing but calm acceptance incarnate.</p>
<p>“We are not… mated,” he finally managed.</p>
<p>
  <i>You have connected, alpha. It has happened. We all know he is part of the pack. He senses us, understands us. He knows you.</i>
</p>
<p>“Dan’s not preter!”</p>
<p>They knew their alpha was different from most humans and that only talented humans could feel animals more closely than others, that they connected on another level. All raptors had been aware of his special standing among those talented keeper, that he stood apart even from them. The Sorna incident had isolated him even more while raising him in standing with the inhabitants of the enclosures.</p>
<p>Charlie snorted, sounding almost disgusted at his apparent slow understanding of what all four already knew. Blue growled at her, then turned back to her alpha.</p>
<p>
  <i>His instincts are better than anyone else’s. We know him. He knows us without understanding us.</i>
</p>
<p>The others echoed the words. Carter was a known and welcome presence. He could move with the pack, had been with the pack. He had run exercises with them, had led and guided, and he led and guided his men. He showed respect and acceptance, never fear or apprehension to interact.</p>
<p>“We all know this will end badly if it doesn’t work out,” he argued. “It’s not like a normal break-up. Not like with Claire.”</p>
<p>Charlie cocked her head, chuffing. Delta just glowered at him, and Echo sent confusion as to why it shouldn’t work out. Dan Carter felt right.</p>
<p>And he felt right with Owen, too. Just…</p>
<p><i>Just that you are human</i>, Blue told him. <i>You think human. You feel human. You don’t listen to your instincts as pack alpha. They tell you what to do.</i></p>
<p>Well, yeah, he was always human first. With an edge, sure, but still so very much human. It was an edge their chief of security didn’t have and an edge Owen refused to let get out of control and take over his life.</p>
<p>They had been nothing but really good friends, mainly because Owen had done everything to keep it that way. Never get too close, never cross that last line. Going into this very personal direction might destroy it all. The guy was the chief of security. It would be just as bad as the time he had tried it with Claire and they had both decided it wasn’t to be.</p>
<p>No. It would be worse. A lot worse.</p>
<p>Owen Grady had been nothing but a handler back in those days. He hadn’t been alpha of the pack, hadn’t been connected and bound to four highly intelligent predators. He had been just a guy who had thought he might be able to make it work with a woman he had been attracted to.</p>
<p>If he let his guard down and this blew up in his face there was no way for him to just request a transfer. And the park needed Carter. The man was an asset; he was accepted by everyone.</p>
<p>Blue yipped as she caught onto that train of thought. <i>Alpha</i>, she sighed, sounding rather human in that moment. <i>You already know it. He is.</i></p>
<p>“But would he want this?” he challenged. “Can you know that?!”</p>
<p>The others weren’t sure they understood. Dan was pack. He behaved like it.</p>
<p>He was… one of them. He knew them, accepted all four as they were, had tried to interact and learn. He was a quick study and he had successfully remembered signals and commands Owen had taught him. He felt good when being out and about with the alpha, spending time together, and Owen was relaxed and mellow around him, too. So why fight what was natural?</p>
<p>Owen groaned and grabbed his gear, deciding to head into the park for a while.</p>
<p>Blue looked almost smug.</p>
<p>He ignored her, got on his bike and just drove.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Life went about as routinely as one could expect from a place full of extinct creatures brought back to life through genetic engineering, and thousands of excited, gawking visitors from all over the globe. There was never a dull day, never one like the other, and both Owen and Dan had full schedules.</p><p>While Owen Grady wasn't part of the park's official areas and merely existed behind the scenes, he received the daily schedules, reports and meeting transcripts, as well as statistics of all kinds, right down to expected figures and booking capacities for the hotels, restaurants and attractions. Owen wasn't involved in any of it, had no power to make decisions outside his area, but Claire had once told him he would always be kept in the loop about everything.</p><p>Oh well.</p><p>He spent his mornings before official opening times with the other staff, with handlers, wranglers, care-takers and trainers. He asked after their charges, visited enclosures, and he continued his training with Nancy and M. Morning hours were also those times to sit together and commiserated over all those boring statistics, wondering just what kinds of crazies they might get once again, and enjoying really good coffee and muffins.</p><p>"Got three cruise ships dropping off half their passengers," Reggie told them. "It'll be full capacity all week."</p><p>"M can use the attention and shows. She's been a bit peevish lately," Nancy told them. "She loves her shows, loves the applause and the excitement. And we've been working on some new bits. She wants to show them off."</p><p>"Morning coffee times will be busier then," Josh said, nursing his Latte. "According to ticket sales, we have sold out on VIP tickets, which means early entrance, night tours and behind the scenes guest."</p><p>"Julio and Betsy have stocked up on the new souvenirs," Laurel added, munching on whole wheat sugar crackers. "Had a look at them. Some really cute stuff. The new mosa plushy is really, really sweet. They'll sell it like hot cakes. Oh, and did you see the addition to the Innovation Center? The 3D Full Immersion is fantastic! Alistair let me try it."</p><p>"Heard they already sold out on passes for that," Josh added. "You need the PlatinumPlus passes to get in there now. No regular admission left."</p><p>"And it's soooo worth it," his trainer partner sighed. "Definite wow factor."</p><p>"I've never been more glad than on those days that I'm behind the scenes," Owen muttered.</p><p>Nancy chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea what you're missing," she teased. "Speaking of which, got some stuff to take care of before the 10 a.m. opening show. According to Admission, seats are already filling. It's still ninety minutes until the show. See you guys later!"</p><p>Reggie, Josh and Laurel also went back to their respective charges, which left Owen to wander the streets that were starting to fill with the first tourists. He nodded at the store keepers that were opening up, exchanging pleasantries. Already there were a few browsing around. Owen detoured by the Control Center to see if anything was out of the ordinary.</p><p>Nothing was.</p><p>Business as usual.</p><p>The giant screen showed the ferry dock and the harbor area where the cruise ships had already docked. They were by now unloading passengers. Watchful eyes kept track of them. The detailed map of the park had no warning labels, which was reassuring, and all sections were clear and ready for visitors.</p><p>Hamada, who was heading this shift, gave him a nod. "All quiet," he said.</p><p>"Good to know."</p><p>"There's a group of five scientists coming in this afternoon. Mainland transfer by ferry. They're staying for two nights at the Hilton, then head off to Sorna."</p><p>"For how long?"</p><p>"Their plans say three months."</p><p>Hamada looked doubtful and Owen felt the same. Three months on Sorna were a lifetime. The island was lethally dangerous. So far every expedition had come back alive and with only mild bruises, one with a broken rib. InGen had heavy security on site and every single expedition member was briefed again and again on safety matters, protocols and that the troopers had the final word in any matter of their safety. Anyone not listening was booted off the team so fast, he still had vertigo when he arrived back on Nublar to face the music in sharp and form of Dan Carter.</p><p>Incidents like that had dwindled to close to zero.</p><p>"I'll give them two. At most," Hamada added with a twist of his lips.</p><p>"I'm not a betting man," Owen replied. "I'd lose money. But if I had to guess, I'd go for maybe five weeks. It's hatching time. Tempers and protective instincts are rising. Good luck to them."</p><p>Hamada only smiled humorlessly.</p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p> </p><p>Daniel James Carter wasn’t stupid.</p><p>You didn’t get to be chief of security of a facility like Jurassic World because of some flowery recommendation letters and the all-present vitamin c, as in ‘connections’. This was a job that required a lot more and Carter had brought it with him in spades, starting with absolutely no connections to Vic Hoskins, the former chief of security, nor to Masrani Global or even Claire Dearing. He had known no one at the park. Absolutely no one. It was what had put him at the top of the list.</p><p>What had also been in his repertoire was his ability to troubleshoot, to adapt quickly, to weed out the unsavory elements in his team. It had served him well when he had been with Special Forces and it had served him even better in the past two years as the newly reopened Jurassic World's head of park security. He had reinstated a trusted second in command with Lieutenant Katashi Hamada and the two of them had gone over each and every trooper who had survived the indominus rex incident.</p><p>Both men had worked out an interview schedule for the candidates after going through mountains of paperwork. Sometimes Carter had spent whole nights over the files, which varied in size. In the end there had been three stacks: the good, the bad and the questionable. Carter had known he had to talk to all of them, no matter their connections to the late Vic Hoskins. The questionable were the ones he couldn’t make up his mind of.</p><p>Together with Claire Dearing, both men had restructured InGen's security team and Dan had tailored the teams to his specifications. Now he had the best there was and he trusted them all. Especially when it came to shooting first and thinking later. He had zero tolerance for animal abuse or troopers who either talked down to the keepers or ignored their input.</p><p>InGen wasn't a police force. They were protection. They protected the visitors, the staff and also the animals.</p><p>Carter was rather no-nonsense, practical in his approaches, and he valued the input of those who knew a situation better than him. That made a good leader: listen and learn from those whose expertise was needed, then boil it all down and shape it to fit the situation and work with the best options. And to work with the best men.</p><p>He had learned a lot in a very short amount of time after his arrival on the island. There had been extensive briefings ahead of that time, but he liked to assess a situation himself, if possible.</p><p>Especially one that had ‘velociraptor pack’ attached to it.</p><p>A raptor pack that had defended the park and its staff against another predator. A super predator right out of someone’s nightmare.</p><p>A raptor pack who was part of a behavioral analysis study, which just a cover for one Owen Grady, who happened to be a preternaturally talented human.</p><p>Grady, who was the pack alpha. The accepted, bonded pack alpha.</p><p>And who had grown into a trusted ally, a colleague, accepted by the whole team, and he had become his best friend.</p><p>Maybe more.</p><p>Because Daniel James Carter wasn’t stupid.</p><p>He had eyes. He was good at reading people. Even people who had the occasional raptor trait reaction. Even people who tried to be subtle and failed miserably.</p><p>Owen Grady was showing interest and Carter wasn’t one to just ignore that, mainly because he mirrored that interest. Despite all rumors to the contrary, the chief of security wasn't an emotionless hard-ass.</p><p>What stopped him from simply pursuing what he liked was the pack of four ferocious predators who protected their alpha at all cost and who might not look favorably upon an intruder into the pack bond. Carter had no talent, so he wouldn’t connect on that level, but he would become more to Owen and maybe upset some balance within the raptor pack.</p><p>While he would have turned to experts on any topic he didn’t understand, this was not something he wanted to talk about with anyone.</p><p>So Carter watched, studied the pack’s behavior around him and Owen, when they were together, when he was alone with them. Delta had chosen him as her favorite, which was slightly disturbing and reassuring in one. She had grown on him, despite her grumpy and sometimes very annoyed behavior. And while it had taken him a long time to trust in the genetically engineered creature not to bite his arm off, he had come to extend more trust to her than any of the other park animals before.</p><p>Becoming sort-of-friendly with a raptor hadn’t been on his bucket list, but well, it had happened.</p><p>The others didn’t behave any different around him and he learned to look for tells, studied them closely in different environments and situations, and he started to understand the pack on a level outside a preternatural’s abilities. They were a mixture of human and raptor, two sides meshing together because of their alpha, and it was strangely addictive to be with the pack, run exercises, obstacle courses or patrols.</p><p>He enjoyed himself. He enjoyed being with Owen and his little gang of lethal predators. He enjoyed Owen.</p><p>Carter knew the other man was interested, but he didn't take the next step. So he didn't either, just watching, waiting. He was good at waiting.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p> </p><p>The bad weather front had been in the making for days. Forecasts had warned of the storms and heavy rains had been expected.</p><p>As had been the stupidity of tourists, thrill-seekers and adventurers. It meant more work for everyone, even the handlers and other staff, and security was upped on all fronts. Everyone had been on high alert, patrols had been doubled.</p><p>The latest storm had blown over Isla Nublar and had left some damage behind. It was nothing that couldn't be quickly repaired and the weather front had been expected and everyone had been prepared. Forecasts were always rather precise, which was necessary for smooth operations of the park and the non-public areas. Owen had checked the paddock, had told the pack to hunker down and stay safe, then had holed up in the house and waited until the worst had blown over.</p><p>Everyone had taken stock of their respective areas. The gallimimus enclosure had reported structural damage to some of the fences, as well as the corrals. The corrals could be dealt with whenever, but the fences needed to be mended. Some of the primary circuits had blown when two large trees had crashed down. According to maintenance no one had seen it coming. The trees had been healthy, but not even healthy trees could stand against the weather sometimes. The secondary circuits had kicked in, but it wasn't safe.</p><p>So maintenance was deployed.</p><p>Together with Grady and his pack.</p><p>The raptors had been more than eager to stretch their legs, corral the gallimimus herd toward the still safe and secure area, and keep them in line until the maintenance workers were done. The Gallimimus Valley was closed for the day, with rides suspended. Visitors grumbled, some looked even mutinous, and one or two were adamant about getting a refund. Guest Services firmly and calmly explained the Terms and Conditions that applied, which stated that attractions could be closed for various reasons. Tickets encompassed the whole of Jurassic World and neither partial nor full refunds were given.</p><p>Maintenance had done these kinds of service and repair works a million times before. They were fast, in and out as quickly as possible and needed, and could even work with nosy animals around them, though for such large jobs the animals had to be moved.</p><p>The raptors were just as professional and accomplished at their jobs. They had run with Carter's security teams before and normally ignored maintenance workers unless they got underfoot.</p><p>The troopers were known factors, worked seamlessly with the raptors. Everyone knew the drill, but neither the raptors nor the human security detail would be anything but vigilant. They adapted to whatever situation confronted them. Where pachys were attack happy, no matter the size of the opponent, trices just moved away from whatever bothered them. Gallimimus were flock animals, running from danger and changing directions at a whim to confuse anything chasing them. Because of the sudden zig-zags the handlers were happy to have four shepherding helpers who were just as fast, just as agile and maneuverable.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Carter sat on his heavy duty, custom InGen bike, watching proceedings from his vantage point, sometimes talking to one of his troopers to have them move or stay. It wasn't his job as chief to be present throughout such rather routine maneuvers, but anything that involved velociraptors automatically got booted up to him. And he would be there, for trainings, joint patrols or these maintenance runs.</p><p>Owen was right in the middle of things, easily directing his pack with gesture, whistles or just by being who he was: the alpha with a preternatural edge. His face reflected his intense concentration, the eyes almost unnatural. They weren't inhuman; not completely. But they showed who he was at the moment and what he was.</p><p>A sharp whistle had Charlie sprint toward a gaggle of teenage gallimimus, driving them toward the main group, while troopers cut off their retreat.</p><p>They were a well-oiled machine.</p><p>All their training had paid off and it always showed in situations like this.</p><p>"What the hell is he doing there?!" suddenly crackled over the comm lines and Dan recognized the voice as that of one of his men. Sergeant Tom Koziol, his brain supplied.</p><p>"There's a truck heading for the gallis!" someone else reported. Jessica Van; senior team lead.</p><p>"Koziol, Van, details," he ordered evenly.</p><p>"I've got sights on a truck heading toward the gallimimus herd," Van immediately answered. "Maintenance Five. Not responding to calls. He's way too early and the gallis are a handful already."</p><p>There was a commotion not far away and Dan took out the binoculars. No one was supposed to head for the damaged fence until all animals were safely away. He caught sight of the large truck, ATV mode, equipped to deliver loads to even the worst of inaccessible enclosure areas. A huge 5 was painted on its side. He heard Koziol's repeated attempts to contact the truck, but no one answered. The vehicle was close to semi size, easily big enough to load two t-rexes. And it was big enough to frighten a flight animal like a gallimimus.</p><p>The first members of the flock discovered the intruder and stopped, bleating in alarm. Then they suddenly veered to the left and right, reacting to the danger like any prey animal would: running in no discernible pattern to throw off a possible hunter.</p><p>"Well, fuck!" Koziol snarled. He was on a cross bike and already chasing after the runners.</p><p>Dan echoed the words in his mind. "Grady," he snapped over the comm lines.</p><p>"I see it," came the tense reply.</p><p>Owen was already sending the raptors out after the runners, but even four raptors were hard-pressed to contain beginning of a stampede. They fanned out, trying to contain the gallimimus, but instead of one flock they were now up against several individuals and groups, some panicking, some finding the courage to confront even a predator like a velociraptor, and a lot were simply spreading out to wherever there was no perceived danger.</p><p>Echo was just fast enough to twist out of the way of two of them without getting into the way of an ATV, and she howled as she slipped on the muddy ground. Charlie chased after the two and managed to lead them away from the weakened fence, but more animals were racing after one of the taller females. Blue and Delta were busy with a group of six while troopers set up mobile containment.</p><p>Carter snarled another curse, gunned the engine, and headed into the fray. More gallimimus were heading for the back of their enclosure, right toward the broken fence. There were too many people at risk should they break through, and they would, no matter the electricity. They were panicking. If one managed to get through, the rest of the flock would follow, blindly.</p><p>They had to be stopped and turned around.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Owen knew things had gone to hell in a bow-topped handbasket within minutes. Seconds, even. Whoever had told the driver of the maintenance truck to start driving should be given dung duty, coursed through his mind. For the rest of his employment at the park!</p>
<p>Blue, Charlie, Delta and Echo were trying to keep the panicking flock from spreading even more, containing runners or snapping and hissing those with a sudden flare of bravery back into line. It was like trying to contain water with a sieve! Herd mentality was one thing when they were docile and could be guided, even under protest, to go somewhere. But when one panicked it ran like a wildfire through all of them, gaining in intensity and speed, making them blind to dangers and obstacles.</p>
<p>Right now security, the handlers and the pack were trying to keep them from hurting themselves or those trying to help them.</p>
<p>One of the gallimimus stumbled and crashed, another too late to stop and running over her and going down, too. Echo screeched a warning, snapping at a third to keep her from piling on top of those two.</p>
<p>Charlie was closing in on a runner who was being blocked by two of Dan's team, all three trying to get the animal to turn around.</p>
<p>Blue and Delta were up against two of the larger herd members who had found the courage, coupled with their panic, to try and break through a barricade of raptors.</p>
<p>Out of the corner of his eyes Owen saw two of the gallimimus handlers with tranquilizer guns, ready to put down whoever was coming too close. They couldn't just fire at every single animal. Those going down could get trampled and even when they were hit with a tranquilizer, it took a while to take full effect. Not to mention that putting any living thing under an anesthetic was dangerous for the creature. They had lost animals due to heart or lung failure.</p>
<p>It was chaos out there. Pure chaos. And they were trying to contain it all.</p>
<p>Carter was on the comm lines, keeping on top of it all, just like Owen was on top of the pack, telling them where to go and what to do. He heard the firm commands, the orders to stay clear of the panicking flock, to contain them.</p>
<p>And then a group of four broke off from an already corralled flock, sprinting away, bleating – right into the chief of security.</p>
<p>Carter had no chance.</p>
<p>Everything was happening too fast. Like a car crash at a high speed chase.</p>
<p>Owen doubted even one of his girls, with their lightning fast reflexes, could have evaded nine hundred pounds of pure terrified dinosaur.</p>
<p>And there were four of them.</p>
<p>The man went down. Hard. Really hard. Together with the adult gallimimus and his bike. The animal screamed in panic and probably shock and pain. It struggled to get up, slipping. A second one tripped over her fallen flock mate, the other two managing to just pass by, bleating wildly.</p>
<p>Owen felt the world shift, his senses growing fuzzy, then sharpening so abruptly it almost gave him vertigo and whiplash in one.</p>
<p>There was a shrill screech coming from Delta, echoed by Blue, sharp emotions and even sharper instinct shooting through Owen's head. It multiplied, overtook his thinking for a long second, pushing him into gunning the bike and racing into the fray.</p>
<p>Mindless anger rose inside him. Killer instinct. He caught Delta's intention to jump, burying claws and teeth in soft flesh, and his mind automatically split and broke along already existing lines, flowing toward each of the pack. He grabbed Delta and overthrew her mind, pulling her back, sharply tearing into her to place the command of No Killing.</p>
<p>Delta nearly bit one of the ostrich-like dinosaurs, spitting anger, close to fury. She shook her head, glaring at her alpha, who was by now off his bike, hands outstretched. On some level Owen was aware of the gallimimus herd still too close, of men and women armed to the teeth ready to shoot, and he knew he had less than a heartbeat to get this under control.</p>
<p>"Delta!" he commanded, simultaneously pulling her mind to him, alpha voice and nothing but firm control. "Stand down!"</p>
<p>Her head whipped around and she bared her very impressive teeth. It was a frightening sight to behold, to see her duck down, spread her arms and fan her fingers with the razor sharp claws. She wanted to take them down, wanted to tear their throats out, gut them, make them hurt. Sharp. Fierce. Angry.</p>
<p>"Stand. Down!" he repeated, feeling her fury as if it was his own. He forcefully separated himself from the steel knot that was the hunter, the apex predator.</p>
<p>Carter lay not far away, but there was a furious raptor between him and help. And Owen. Grady met the inhuman eyes, pushed his will at her, assumed his position as control, as alpha, refusing to back away as Delta viciously bellowed, looking for the perpetrator to get her pound of flesh.</p>
<p>"No. Eyes on me!" he ordered, voice hard and will unyielding. "I said stand down, Delta!"</p>
<p>She flexed her fingers, still ducking low, still ready to use all her cunning and skill as a hunter to get to where she could hurt and kill the perpetrator.</p>
<p>Blue snarled at her pack sister, jaws snapping, her growls terrifying.</p>
<p>Owen went deep, feeling his beta with him, his anchor, his safety, and he confronted Delta with everything he was. Everything else was forgotten. The commotion around them, the frightened gallimimus, the chatter over the comm lines. Everything.</p>
<p>Owen needed Delta under control, get her out of her tunnel vision and listen. She was fighting with herself. She wanted to kill, she wanted to protect, she wanted to listen to her alpha. Eyes on her, hand stretched out, he approached, refusing to show any kind of weakness, of fear, of hesitation.</p>
<p>He was alpha. He would need his pack to help pack. Dan was pack. Dan was hurt. Delta needed to stand down and let her alpha help.</p>
<p>All that flowed along the link as he never took his eyes off her. He could overwhelm her, submit her will, but that wasn't how it worked. It wasn't him. He didn't force them to do his bidding. They were a partnership, ups and downs and tempers and all. He knew Delta wasn't malicious, wasn't trying to defy him.</p>
<p>"I know," he said, voice low and soothing. "I know."</p>
<p>Delta's nostrils blew wide and she shifted her weight a little. She was still baring her teeth, lips quivering with every rumble, but pure instinct was now receding to let reason reestablish itself.</p>
<p>"Good," Owen murmured when she suddenly whuffled and finally pushed her nose against his palm, soft skin against soft skin. "Good girl. Let me help. I will help him. You did good."</p>
<p>He let his palm slide over her nose, under her jaw, drew her close, his mind caressing her agitated presence.</p>
<p>She rumbled, then huffed, more tension leaving her form.</p>
<p>"Go help the others. I will help him. Go."</p>
<p>Delta hesitated, finally glancing at the motionless form of Carter, rumbling uneasily.</p>
<p>"Go," Owen repeated, soft but firm. His will pushed gently into her mind, making her move back one step at the time. "Go."</p>
<p>And finally she turned with a last rumble, trotting off to where Owen directed her to keep an eye on matters.</p>
<p>Blue remained, watching her pack sister for a second longer, then turned her attention to the injured and unconscious chief of security.</p>
<p>It hadn't even taken a minute. An eternity for Owen, leaving him light-headed, a sense of vertigo hitting for a second, but Blue was there, keeping him from faltering. Her claws brushed against his hip. One minute and his brain was close to mush, fracture into five parts that were only slowly realigning to make him whole as he pulled back from the pack, leaving only his anchor with Blue in place.</p>
<p>He almost snarled at the first trooper to approach. She raised her hands, meeting his gaze.</p>
<p>"Garner," she identified herself. "Medical is on the way."</p>
<p>Of course they were standing by in case of injuries when it came to maneuvers as they had done today. Medical was always on stand-by anyway, but they made a point of having someone on location for specific actions. Like herding gallimimus.</p>
<p>He stood ramrod straight, jaws clenched, but finally drew a shaky breath and shook himself, giving her an apologetic look.</p>
<p>They knew him, knew what he was, and Carter had always made sure to run every new team member through rigorous physical and mental training to handle situations like this.</p>
<p>"Lily," he acknowledged her.</p>
<p>Lilian Garner gave him a brief smile. Both knew that they shouldn't move the unconscious man due to possible spinal injuries and it was the longest minute in Owen's life.</p>
<p><i>He's alive</i>, Blue calmed him. <i>Strong.</i></p>
<p>She was still right there and it showed how well-trained Carter's soldiers were that they could work around her, ignore her, while still aware of just what Blue was: a wild animal.</p>
<p>In the distance were bleating noises from the finally controlled herd as their handlers effectively blocked them from running into the direction of the accident. Orders were given and Owen told the pack to work with security, sending Blue out to keep an eye on her sisters.</p>
<p>
  <i>Get them over to the paddocks. Keep them as far away from here as possible.</i>
</p>
<p>She made soft chugging noises, almost a gurgle, and he patted her neck as she slid past him in full body contact.</p>
<p>Part of him still felt furiously angry at whoever had released the truck to drive into the enclosure before the all green had been given. He knew he would give Claire a piece of his mind later on.</p>
<p>And then the on-site emergency medical team arrived and Owen's attention was back on Carter.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The list of injuries was long and painful to hear. Somehow, Owen had and hadn't expected the damage report to be this bad, but he should have. He really should have. Carter had collided with almost a thousand pounds of muscle in motion. Gallimimus were fast and collisions at any speed were painful. This one had been more than painful; it could have been fatal.</p>
<p>He clenched his hands into fists and pushed that thought aside.</p>
<p>Their resident medic, Dr. Annika Svensson, had told him that much without babying Grady. She didn't lack bedside manner, no. She simply gave him the facts, knowing Owen was in no condition to be handled like a broken glass doll.</p>
<p>Dan Carter was lucky to be alive.</p>
<p>And whoever was responsible would be lucky to still have a job when this was over.</p>
<p>Carter's head had impacted with the ground, though luckily not with any kind of rock. Still, an open wound that had been stitched closed and half his face was black and blue. The suspected concussion was mild, considering. Dan had been conscious throughout Annika's first exam after he had woken in the ambulance and he had been coherent. He remembered his name, the date, the year, and he knew he had been run over by a dinosaur. There was no skull fracture and no bleeding in the brain.</p>
<p>Just more wounds everywhere else to worry about.</p>
<p>Like two parallel cuts across his right temple and into his hair.</p>
<p>Like his broken left arm and two dislocated fingers.</p>
<p>Like the seven stitches that had closed the surgical wound. It would leave a scar.</p>
<p>He would stay the night and be released in the morning.</p>
<p>"And no, you won't be haunting my station and scare the personnel," she finished her report.</p>
<p>Owen stepped forward, the movement involuntary, his eyes narrowed slits and his lips curling away from his teeth in a snarl. Adrenaline pulsed through him, thoughts chasing each other until all he could hear was white noise.</p>
<p>Svensson met the display without showing a shred of fear. The penetrating stare might be unnerving, but it wasn't her first rodeo with the human alpha and it wouldn't be the last. "Stand down!" she ordered. "He's no longer in danger. If he were, I'd have him on the next med-evac to the mainland and in a hospital."</p>
<p>Owen blinked as if he had been slapped. His brain tried to separate instinctual alpha behavior from calm, collected human logic.</p>
<p>Annika met his eyes, refusing to step back and give in to his demands. She stood tall, shoulders squared, clearly aware that Owen was trying to separate the preternatural linked to four agitated raptor mind from the worried friend.</p>
<p>"And you can see him. Just… stop channeling your inner alpha raptor for a moment and think with your head, Grady," she added sharply. "He's banged up and he has to stay the night. All scans and examinations came back looking really good. This is standard medical procedure. That's all."</p>
<p>"Doc…"</p>
<p>She held up a hand. "I don't want to hear it. Get yourself sorted out, Owen. Some of your friends are waiting for the winning bet."</p>
<p>"The what?"</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes. "If you ever thought that your crush was a secret, think again. And we all know the pack includes a few more members, some fringe, some more. Carter's definitely more."</p>
<p>"What crush?" he echoed, feeling a hot flush work through him.</p>
<p>His emotions were all over the place, not helped along by Svensson's comments. Dan Carter lay in a hospital bed, bruised and battered, with broken bones, and Owen didn’t know how to handle it. It was doing something to him, keeping him off kilter, completely upsetting his normally so even, cool thinking.</p>
<p>Why?</p>
<p>Dan was a friend. He was worried, especially since he had been there to see it happen. He felt the pack's anger and similar worry, but it was nothing he hadn't worked through before. He wasn't overpowered by their minds. This was all him.</p>
<p>She sighed and shook her head. "Men! We are your friends, Owen. We noticed. It was hard not to! You weren't subtle."</p>
<p>"We are not…"</p>
<p>"Of course you aren't. And it's not my place to tell you just where you gave yourself away. You have other friends who will gleefully tell you every little detail of their observations, the betting pool, and whatever else."</p>
<p>Betting pool…</p>
<p>"Our chief of security is fine. He will still be fine tomorrow. Go home, take care of your pack, get some sleep!"</p>
<p>Owen decided to follow her orders. He felt emotionally and physically drained. And he needed to work through what Dr. Svensson had told him.</p>
<p>A betting pool! On his… love life?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The pack was all around him when he finally came back home. Delta was a rather prominent presence, yipping, demanding, looking a little on the wild side. Blue chastised her, pushing her back into line. It got her an annoyed growl. The other two waited, restless, tense, but obedient.</p>
<p>Owen entered the enclosure, radiating nothing but assertiveness and absolute control. Blue brushed up against him and he ran a quick hand over her neck, reassured by her support and unwavering loyalty. He rubbed over the soft nose, getting a gently nose-butting in return. Her purring rumbles eased the tightness inside him, had him exhale and relax.</p>
<p>Delta whined, shifting back and forth as if drawn between cuddling up against her alpha and being the grumpy little lady she liked to portray.</p>
<p>"He's okay," Owen told her, unconsciously leaning against his beta's side. Blue simply adjusted to bear his weight. "Banged up but okay."</p>
<p>Delta briefly pushed her head against his chest, allowing her alpha to pat her, then she snuffled. Owen smiled.</p>
<p>"We're all worried, Delta. It was a stupid, unnecessary accident. But you did good. You all did." He looked at his little pack. "You were exceptional out there, ladies."</p>
<p>The others preened while Blue radiated pride and accomplishment.</p>
<p>Owen checked them all, losing himself in the known task of making sure they hadn't been hurt by the gallimimus, that any open wounds would be treated if necessary, but aside from a slightly tender bruise on Charlie's rump, everyone had come out of the scuffle unscathed.</p>
<p>"Go get some rest," he told them.</p>
<p><i>So should you</i>, Blue told him, nosing at his shoulder.</p>
<p>He wrapped an arm around the long snout, leaning a cheek against it. "I will," he promised, voice low. "Really."</p>
<p>Even if he was too wired, felt like he needed to work off the anger and the tension. It might be a good idea to check on the meat locker, maybe prepare tomorrow's breakfast. Or inspect his bike, clean it, do some maintenance.</p>
<p>His beta snuffled disdainfully and pushed against his shoulder again, almost making Owen stumble. Long-fingered claws curled around his hip.</p>
<p>
  <i>Rest. Sleep.</i>
</p>
<p>He couldn't.</p>
<p>Blue begged to differ and Echo joined her. The smaller raptor whined. They all felt his exhaustion, especially the emotional one, how empty Owen felt, and yet he was trying to be strong, to show no weakness.</p>
<p><i>Alpha</i>, Blue murmured. <i>You are alpha.</i></p>
<p>Strong. Never weak. But he needed to rest, to let himself recover. Instinct told them when to hunt, when to stand down, to recover and rest.</p>
<p>Another push.</p>
<p>"Alright, alright," he muttered, shooting his beta a look.</p>
<p>Blue huffed, then rumbled again. She walked at his side as he headed to the gates.</p>
<p>"I know the way, y'know."</p>
<p>She yipped and nipped at his shoulder to make him move the last steps.</p>
<p>"Geez, okay, okay. Mother-hen."</p>
<p>It got him a bark. Owen smiled. He retreated to his house, walking aimlessly through the rooms, moving stuff, picking up books, then dropping them again to start folding away some clothes.</p>
<p>Owen finally let out a frustrated huff and threw himself onto the bed, crossing his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He fell asleep not much later.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Smaller piece today, sorry! :) But a first explanation...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lieutenant Katashi Hamada had worked for InGen and had been stationed at Jurassic World right from the start. Just before Masrani's dream had almost been destroyed he had been the commander of the Security Division's Asset Containment Unit. He had seen a lot of shit, had been there when it hit the fan, and he knew that despite the Indominus Rex incident ranking among the most catastrophic failures, it could always get worse.</p>
<p>He had survived the i-rex incident, but many of his team hadn't. The i-rex had been a sociopath and she had killed for fun. Yes, a genetically designed dinosaur that combined the traits of over a dozen individuals sounded like the worst that could happen. At the time it had been really, really bad because the park had been filled with tens of thousand of people, but there were things that could be just as bad, just as hair-raising and nightmare inducing.</p>
<p>Hamada had been there for that, too.</p>
<p>Like a pack of velociraptors going after poachers who had taken their alpha and hurt him. Hunting them, taking them out in coordinated strikes, and then homing in on where Owen Grady had been holding off Sorna raptors to get him out of a room with a computer lock.</p>
<p>That had ranked close second to the i-rex. It might even be equal to it because those raptors were more than mere animals. Animals he and his Asset Containment Unit had captured and sometimes put down before everything had been restructured. He knew they were near-human in their intelligence, and the 'near-human' didn't mean they were stupid. It meant they thought like hunters, predators. They had strategies, made plans, executed those plans, and they learned incredibly fast. And they went about it with no emotions whatsoever.</p>
<p>Carter had always made sure that every soldier on his team understood this. Really understood it. There had been training videos and real life runs and courses with those four. Hamada knew some of those new recruits hadn't believed it until they had been confronted by the almost emotionless stares, the assessing eyes, and had faced these four raptors in live situations.</p>
<p>One such situation had just happened once again, and this time it had nearly cost his commanding officer his life. Carter had been incredibly lucky. Reports mentioned how one of the pack, Delta, had intercepted gallimimus about to trample the downed man, and almost everyone had seen the alpha at work. Hamada had witnessed Owen work his preter magic more than once and he knew it was a sight to behold.</p>
<p>The aftermath of all of this had Hamada temporarily in charge of security while Carter was on medical leave, and that meant leading an investigation into where the operation had all gone wrong, why dispatch had deployed the truck, talk to the tech who had made the decision, and why he hadn't reacted to calls to abort.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It took him only twenty-four hours to have a report for Claire Dearing, who was less than amused about it. Hamada knew he himself had been furious when the truth had come out and he wasn't alone. He had seen the expressions, had heard the rumbles within the teams, and he had sent out a warning email to every trooper. This would be handled by the book.</p>
<p>"A trainee," she now said.</p>
<p>"Yes. Robert Darnel. He was shadowing one of the dispatchers assigned to the Gallimimus Valley operation. It wasn't his first time and this was a routine shift. Mr. Eng reviewed the log. Darnel was to watch, listen and learn. At no time was he supposed to take over, except to call for assistance. He underwent the normal safety training, knew he had no authority to greenlight anything. He's been with us for four months now, all of them working dispatch."</p>
<p>Dispatch had already handled their side of the accident. Hamada had been in constant contact with Mark Eng, the head of dispatch. The man had been absolutely calm and level-headed the whole time, though that was a clear warning to everyone. Hamada knew the older man, knew how he could quietly and calmly rip you a new one, and he might have felt some sympathy for the trainee if it hadn't nearly cost his friend and boss his life.</p>
<p>"Due to a medical incident, he was left alone."</p>
<p>"What kind of medical emergency?"</p>
<p>"It seems his trainer reacted to something he ate. Not an allergy, I was told, more along the lines of food poisoning. He left his station in a hurry to make it to the toilet." Hamada grimaced. "He was found nearly passed out and is currently in medical, getting IV treatments. We don't know what he ate, but everyone else was fine. While he was throwing up, maintenance called in their positions, confirmed their stand-bye. The trainee greenlighted the truck because he thought it was time and then turned off the comm lines when all things started to go to hell," he summed it all up quite nicely.</p>
<p>Claire looked stonily at the report. Her face didn’t twitch a muscle, but there was an expression in her eyes that spoke lengths.</p>
<p>"Eng already suspended him," Hamada told her calmly. "Pending your signature, Darnel will be off the island within the next hours," he added. "HR took care of the paperwork, and he will be accompanied to the mainland by two of my men. Someone I trust not to throw him overboard. As you can imagine, tempers are running a bit high at the moment."</p>
<p>Claire gave him a quick, humorless smile. "Thank you, Lieutenant Hamada. And my signature will be on those papers."</p>
<p>"My pleasure."</p>
<p>Getting sacked was a mild repercussion for something that could have killed people, that had nearly cost their chief of security his life or crippled him. Not to mention the possible loss of the animals who had panicked and would have run into and over whatever. Claire had gotten a brief report on the gallimimus. All were fine, though some had scrapes and bruises. Themming was already looking at the worst cases.</p>
<p>Yes, Darnel had made a mistake, but it hadn't been an innocent one. It hadn't been malicious intent, but gross negligence that bordered on the insane. He hadn't just overestimated his abilities, but overstepped his decision-making powers. He had been a trainee, one step up from an intern. There had been two conscious decisions involved on his part that had immediately terminated his employment: send out the truck despite having no authority to do so, then ignore calls to stop, right down to turning off the comms. The comms to the truck! That had been the worst because there had been no way to reach the truck and give the stopping order.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hamada left Claire's office, heading back to the control room to keep an eye on things and finish reports. With Carter temporarily out of the picture and laid up in medical he had a whole load of new work, not just the fall-out of the accident. Daily life at the park was happening, visitors came and went with the ferries, there were complaints from small nuisances to vandalism to breaking-and-entering.</p>
<p>His cell beeped and he glanced at the latest report, scowling as just another disturbance call was added to the list of minor misdemeanors as two drunk guys had started to throw human food into the infant animal enclosures.</p>
<p>"Collins," he called one of the team leads. "You and your team are on drunk patrol. Get over to the petting zoo. Got a nuisance call."</p>
<p>There was an almost-sigh from the other end of the phone. "Roger that."</p>
<p>Hamada chuckled, then stepped into the control room to take over for the day. He scanned over the giant screen, took in the numbers of the day.</p>
<p>All looked normal.</p>
<p>Good.</p>
<p>They needed normal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first time Carter woke after surgery he was not very clear where he was, how he had gotten there and what exactly had happened to put him wherever he was. He felt the dull pulse of a headache muted by painkillers. His left arm felt too heavy and his eye lids stuck together. It took an effort to open his eyes, then even more of an effort to make his vision focus.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The second time was a little better, but this time the nausea came.</p>
<p>It might be embarrassing to throw up, but he couldn't stop it and really, he didn't care. His head pounded afterwards and he hated how he felt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He stayed awake after emptying his already empty stomach and let the nurses take care of the IV and everything else.</p>
<p>Doc Svensson came in some time later, looking far from happy to have him as her patient, but that was probably not personal.</p>
<p>"You were lucky, Mr. Carter."</p>
<p>"If you say so. I don't feel it," he muttered, wincing as bruises ached and the broken arm added to the discomfort.</p>
<p>"A grown gallimimus ran into you and threw you off your bike."</p>
<p>Svensson's expression was no-nonsense and rather intense.</p>
<p>"I remember," Carter told her, answering the unspoken question.</p>
<p>"Good."</p>
<p>"Debatable."</p>
<p>Her lips thinned. "According to witnesses it also rolled over you. I'd say a few bruises, contusions, and a broken arm are lucky compared to what could have happened. I've seen worse injuries with less of an impact, Mr. Carter." She didn't sound happy, but maybe that was his imagination. Dan had been lucky enough not to need her expertise, aside from a flu shot, while working at Jurassic World. Seeing as to what he was dealing with on a daily basis, okay, yes, he had been in luck.</p>
<p>He closed his eyes. "Probably," he murmured.</p>
<p>But Carter didn't feel very lucky at the moment, though the pain-killers helped to at least make him relax. It also helped ease his mind into dozing more often than not.</p>
<p>"This could have been worse, Dan," Annika added as she checked him over, voice a little gentler. "She could have broken your back or your neck."</p>
<p>"I'm very much aware of it."</p>
<p>"Your arm needed surgery. You broke a bone. It was an open fracture. We had to reset it. And you know what that means. Rehab."</p>
<p>Oh, he did know. "Joy of joys."</p>
<p>"And before you ask, you are going to stay here. You have a mild concussion and I want to have you under observation in case of sudden bleedings."</p>
<p>He gave a little grunt.</p>
<p>"You are worse than Grady."</p>
<p>Dan's eyes met hers and she smiled tightly. He wanted to laugh, but it was just too much of an effort. "No one is worse than Owen Grady, Doc. We all know he is his own category."</p>
<p>She blew out some air and smiled briefly. "Yes. Yes, he is. Now get some rest."</p>
<p>And he did.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What happened out there, Claire?"</p>
<p>Claire Dearing had expected the visit. She had been prepared to face a dangerously angry human alpha and that was exactly who stalked into her office, past her assistant, who hadn't even tried to stop him. She was too professional, too well-versed in these encounters, and she also knew when any kind of opposition might be taken the wrong way.</p>
<p>Claire gave her a quick nod, then the doors closed, giving them privacy. She ran a quick eye over the powerful form. Owen's face was hard, unyielding, reflecting quiet anger.</p>
<p>She had by now been given a full report of everyone involved, had the camera footage, the vehicle logs, and the medical file on her desk the moment Owen Grady stepped into her office. Hamada's personal report had been just the beginning of her investigation into the situation. She needed to make sure she had every 'i' dotted in case the terminated trainee decided to sue. Knowing human nature, he just might. She had all the evidence, had already talked to their lawyers, and they had assured her they would handle the matter. There was no severance pay and they were prepared to counter-sue due to Carter's injuries, the damage done to park vehicles and assets, and the endangerment of countless human lives.</p>
<p>Claire met Owen's cold eyes with a calm, collected expression, not the least bit startled, angered or even cowed by his words, tone of voice or stance. She had known the other man too long, had been through too much, had seen too much. Right now she was facing a man on edge, someone who had witnessed a near-fatal accident that might have been avoided. An accident that had involved someone he cared a lot about; one of his best friends.</p>
<p>This was the alpha, through and through. She didn't make the mistake to think she could coddle the man, give him a few phrases and hope he would leave.</p>
<p>"Please, sit down," she simply told him.</p>
<p>Owen scowled, but he sat. He looked like he really wanted to pace, but that was the preternaturally bonded side. It was a side he had under control and that only sometimes flared.</p>
<p>Like right now.</p>
<p>"What happened?" he repeated. "Who told the driver to go into an unsecured situation? What idiot thought it was okay to send the crew in while we were busy rounding up the herd? And why was the idiot even driving into the situation he could so clearly see was anything but safe?!"</p>
<p>"The driver of maintenance truck number five was given a green light," she told him, voice calm and even, reflecting the park operations manager, the woman in charge, at the top of the food chain. "He followed orders. It's not the first time maintenance goes in with animals still present. It was a bad series of events. The coordinator on dispatch duty had to be switched due to a sudden onset of stomach trouble that had him throwing up his lunch in the toilet."</p>
<p>Owen frowned.</p>
<p>"He's currently being treated. Looks like he ate something that didn't agree with him. One of the trainees made the decision to take over without authorization, and made the wrong call."</p>
<p>Now there was a scowl. Owen's expression was icy. She met those cold eyes with a stern look that held a clear warning. She was the park operations manager and she wouldn't have him go rogue.</p>
<p>"The head of that department has a handle on matters." She folded her hands on her desk. "The person in question has been suspended, a full investigation has been done, and he will be off the island in," she looked at her wrist watch, "two hours. His employment with Masrani Global has been terminated."</p>
<p>Owen's lips thinned. His face was unreadable, but his eyes spoke volumes. He didn't look like he was plotting revenge or was pleased knowing a staff member in training might be fired over this, but there was a spark that Claire knew.</p>
<p>"Please tell me that your girls aren't planning on hunting down the culprit," she requested, voice perfectly pitched and projecting who she was.</p>
<p>She wouldn't back down, not even from him. This was her territory and she wanted Owen to know that he could trust in her to handle this matter. It wasn't his to pursue. His eyes bore into hers, then he suddenly exhaled. It was soft, barely even audible, but she saw his shoulders drop minutely. Standing down.</p>
<p>"They won't."</p>
<p>"Good." She trusted in his word. "I don't want to hear about raptors out and about, outside their assigned paddock area, hunting a terrified person. I have dealt with it and Masrani Global's lawyers have a solid case to stop any attempts to sue us over the termination. I am dealing with this, you deal with our chief of security."</p>
<p>He stared at her, clearly caught off guard. There was a brief flare of defensiveness, then it was gone again.</p>
<p>"Mr. Carter will be out of commission for a while, seeing that a concussion is nothing to be trifled with. He won't be on active duty unless Dr. Svensson gives him full clearance. A broken bone tells me that won't be for a while. According to her, desk duty will be cleared once the concussion lets up."</p>
<p>"Which might be a while, too."</p>
<p>She nodded. "That means rest. We both know that once he feels better, Dan's not the person to just sit around and read or knit."</p>
<p>Owen grimaced.</p>
<p>"You might want to keep an eye on him," Claire proposed. "You and your pack. I believe they know how to handle an injured pack mate."</p>
<p>His eyes narrowed and his spine straightened, the warning clear. Claire simply smiled benignly.</p>
<p>"You're in on that pool, right?" Owen suddenly asked darkly, but there was a sudden switch in his mood. It was a little lighter, no longer so singularly intense.</p>
<p>"I might be," she teased, more than happy to change the topic from the near-fatal accident to something just as personal. Because it involved the same person. His wide eyes had her laugh. "Oh, Owen!"</p>
<p>He looked like wanted to bang his head against the wall. "Who knows?" he groaned, the final ripples of alpha making way for the human being dealing with emotions Owen Grady wasn't quite equipped to have out in the open.</p>
<p>"Knows what?" was the sly reply.</p>
<p>The glare was amusing. They might have been on only one date, but Claire knew him. There had been some flirting before she had agreed on that ill-fated dinner and even later on, when Owen had tried to understand just why they didn't work, Claire had seen that side of him. He was amazing as an animal behavioral scientists. He loved the animals he worked with. But some aspects of his own human self escaped him.</p>
<p>"Aside from Annika and me? Probably Laurel and Nancy. They are your best friends, Owen. Josh is Laurel's brother in all but blood, so he might be in on their speculations."</p>
<p>He groaned again. "Why?"</p>
<p>She reached out and gently squeezed his hand. "They are your friends, Owen. We are. I'm including myself in that circle. We know you. And I've seen the two of you interact. It's been a slow process and I know you're overthinking a lot on that matter, but it happened and is still happening."</p>
<p>"I'm not sure it's a good thing."</p>
<p>Delicate brows rose. "Why not, pray tell me?"</p>
<p>He shrugged.</p>
<p>"You like him, he likes you. I've seen worse starting points for a relationship."</p>
<p>"It's not that easy, Claire." He leaned back, head dropping to the headrest, and closed his eyes, looking tired and worn. The tension had left his body and now Owen Grady was just human, just the man who had emotions he had no handle on. "The baggage I come with has claws and teeth and is rather vicious."</p>
<p>She frowned a little. "Alright, enlighten me. Is this about Carter being scared of the Grady Bunch or your ladies taking offense to the two of you in a relationship?"</p>
<p>He opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. "Both?"</p>
<p>"Men are idiots," Claire declared.</p>
<p>"Hey!" he muttered a half-hearted protest as he looked at her.</p>
<p>"You in particular."</p>
<p>"Hey again!"</p>
<p>"Do you really think, after all this time, after even rescuing you from a bunch of black market dinosaur dealers, right out of the belly of a ship, with raptors all around him, Dan Carter is scared of them? Respectful, yes. Cautious, sure. But afraid? I can't speak for your girls, Owen, but shouldn't you know what they think about him as a pack mate?"</p>
<p>He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut again.</p>
<p>Claire waited.</p>
<p>Silently.</p>
<p>She was a pro.</p>
<p>"They… like him," he finally muttered.</p>
<p>She nodded once. You like him, she translated in her head. A lot.</p>
<p>"They're also kinda pushing it."</p>
<p>Claire couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping. "No matter the species, women have the better instincts, Mr. Grady. And we listen to them. Not to mention that they don't mope around or pine."</p>
<p>"I'm not pining!" he argued almost petulantly.</p>
<p>"Tell it to someone who doesn't know you. I'm not believing a word."</p>
<p>He groaned and closed his eyes again. "We weren't that complicated."</p>
<p>"Oh, we were complicated enough," she corrected him. "You loved those khakis and board shorts."</p>
<p>"And you printed out an itinerary for our date, Claire. An itinerary! Who does that, really?"</p>
<p>"You insisted on tequila."</p>
<p>"I didn't insist. I offered. I was polite," Owen shot back, grinning at the banter. "You said you were on a diet. You just loved having everything in order."</p>
<p>She mirrored the grin. "And you're a free spirit, headstrong, with little regard for authority, and you hate to give up control. It's in your nature. We clashed because of it, because of that unwillingness to give in."</p>
<p>Owen snorted. "You think Carter's different? Have you met the man?"</p>
<p>"Occasionally," was the wry answer.</p>
<p>He rolled his eyes. "We're just as opposite as the two of us were. He's former Special Forces."</p>
<p>"You were in the military, too," she reminded him gently.</p>
<p>"I handled dogs, Claire! I didn't get to play with counter-intelligence or covert ops. I also didn't go into hostage situations or whatever."</p>
<p>"But you served in the military, you followed a chain of command."</p>
<p>He sighed and leaned back. "He's the chief of security, I'm the guy who handles four grown velociraptors. We couldn't be more opposites. Yes, Carter learned to trust my word when it comes to the girls. He gave me the benefit of a doubt, unlike Hoskins. He's definitely not Hoskins!"</p>
<p>"Definitely," she agreed.</p>
<p>"And we became friends. Good friends. I mean, he's a great guy and I like him, but we started out the same way, Claire. And look what happened!"</p>
<p>"That's where you are wrong. With us it was physical attraction that brought us together. It ran its course. The first date was enough to show both of us that we couldn't be any more the opposite from the other. Yes, Mr. Carter's job has him go by rules, follow protocol, but he also acts outside that. He is not his job, Owen."</p>
<p>Dan Carter was a man of few words and he had a strong work ethic. He had taken over from Hoskins after the disaster that had been the i-rex and InGen's involvement in all of that, and he had done an incredible job. His team trusted him, his judgment and his integrity. Claire had seen him with staff, with visitors, with his men. He was as empathetic as Owen was, just in a different way. Not preternaturally enhanced.</p>
<p>"I know that!"</p>
<p>"So you are not complete opposites," she concluded with a smile. "You're also not completely alike. Judging by your reaction to him getting injured… not to mention how your charges reacted, I'd hazard a guess that you know there's something more that will keep on getting more and more until it breaks."</p>
<p>Owen scrubbed a hand over his face. "I might be wrong, Claire."</p>
<p>"No. You keep thinking about making it work and then chicken out." Claire fixed him with a hard look. "Don't, Owen. Just don't. It's really painful to watch by now."</p>
<p>He grimaced. It had her chuckle.</p>
<p>"There's something between you. You like him. A lot. It's more than just the handsome wrapping with you two. Act on it, Owen. Stop thinking and use those instincts. They're good for something."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen left the office, deep in thought.</p>
<p>He had come to Claire ready for a confrontation, face whatever opposition got in his way, press for a name or names, find the one responsible. He had channeled a lot of anger coupled with helplessness, but it had evaporated in the face of Claire's calmness and control. Owen had reacted to that calmness, had started to mirror it, and Claire had effectively dispersed the raging energy and left him a little dizzy from the emotional rollercoaster ride.</p>
<p>He finally stopped at the Gentle Giants Petting Zoo, watching the teenage dinosaurs toddle about, interact with others of their species or kind, with the nurses and the first guests. Visitors were strictly regulated and children had to be over the age of five to be allowed to enter alone. Large signs showed the rules. A line was already forming and outside the fence proud parents took pictures or captured everything on video with what their offspring was doing. More children were at other paddocks, feeding the hungry teenagers.</p>
<p>Grady stayed on the side, smiling at the antics of the gangly gallimimus chicks, who were already fast and darting between the children's legs. The babies were nothing but blurs to him preternaturally speaking. Not fully formed, with the soft edges of herbivores to their presence. The carnivores were sharper, more focused, already tiny steel balls in their early months as they learned to hunt and kill. Herbivores weren't stupid, just different.</p>
<p>Owen had felt the difference from the first days of having Blue, Charlie, Delta and Echo.</p>
<p>Watching the infant apatosaurs, stegosaurs, triceratopes, gallimimus and parasaurolophus with the children, Claire's words came back.</p>
<p>He was chickening out of a different kind of confrontation, afraid of his instincts, afraid of the consequences if things went bust. He hadn't even tried having a relationship since Claire, for various reasons really, and he kept coming up with excuses.</p>
<p>Use those instincts, she had said.</p>
<p>Part of him whispered that his instincts were enhanced and bolstered by his talent, that preter ability of him. It had given him his pack, had made them one unit. They were good, sharp instincts, ones he could rely on. They had never failed him. They had kept him alive in worse situations, like having a sociopathic indominus rex chasing him, trying to erase his existence.</p>
<p>Owen Grady had a power no other talented on this island had, but he refused to be seen as the island alpha. He had a pack and they were enough. He didn't want the others. Except… he wanted Dan Carter. He wanted the man who felt like he could be… who was part of them, who wasn't talented, who shouldn't be there, with him, on his mind, so much closer than a mere love interest.</p>
<p>He was torn between his personal desires and the responsibilities he had as the alpha of the pack. As the guardian, the protector, the caretaker.  </p>
<p>Owen wanted Dan because he felt right, because he fit, because something inside Owen had broken apart four months ago, allowing for his mind to go everywhere at the same time, form new connections, discard old ones, and when he had finally been himself, there had been cracks.</p>
<p>Cracks that were still there. Cracks that weren't painful or dangerous.</p>
<p>His natural shields were back. His feral little guard was taking care to protect their alpha's mind with vicious jealousy of any and all outside contact.</p>
<p>But there was something else. Something new. Inactive, absolutely neutral, not a shred of an echo or a ripple, but it was there. He didn't need Dan Carter like he did the four minds interwoven with his. He didn't need him as a shield or an anchor.</p>
<p>Except that personally, on a purely selfish level, he did. It set him on edge, but it also gave him this sensation of rightness when it came to Dan Carter. It was like his brain had pinged the whole of the park in one fraction of a second and come back with a perfect fit. An energy like his own, complementing him, resonating in tune.</p>
<p>And his pack approved.</p>
<p>It frightened him a little to pursue that line of thought. Because it took him down a road that was very, very scary.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The park grapevine was a marvelous and lightning fast communication system. While no one knew everything that went on behind the scenes, handlers and caretakers had friends all over the place, with maintenance, security, head office, supply or facility management. Someone always knew someone else and word spread.</p>
<p>The incident with the gallimimus herd was prime grapevine material and it didn't take long for Owen's circle of friends to corner him when he walked into the park behind the scenes, evading the pulsing masses on main street that were shopping for souvenirs, snacks and drinks. Even back here the excited voices could be heard. The scent of various foods intermingled with the excited babble and the occasional louder voice.</p>
<p>Laurel grabbed one arm and dragged him over to a seating area near the mosa lagoon.</p>
<p>"Spill," she demanded as Josh, Nancy and Serena joined them.</p>
<p>Serena plonked a six-pack of bottled water onto the table. Nancy had brought mini muffins.</p>
<p>"Don't you have a dinosaur to take care of?" Owen queried.</p>
<p>"Rexy Sue has been watered and fed. She's not jumping through hoops or showing off dancing skills we need to train with her. People are craning their necks to get a look at her and if she feels like it, she'll show up."</p>
<p>Josh shook his head with an amused smile. He and Laurel worked behind the scenes. Those among the visitors were specially trained staff, acting as guides and teachers, answering a million questions and directing people around an exhibit. The caretakers never went into the fray, so to speak, aside from Nancy, who did her shows. Then she, too, would be gone again. Guides would take over after every show.</p>
<p>"What happened, Owen?" Nancy wanted to know. "Is the pack okay? You? We only heard parts of it from the galli wranglers. The herd went out of control because someone drove a truck into the enclosure, right?"</p>
<p>He gave them the brief version and there were grim, serious faces, coupled with worry.</p>
<p>"The pack's fine," he assured them. "Some bruises from getting nearly bowled over by panicking gallis, but all in all not much to worry about."</p>
<p>"Any word on Carter's condition?" Josh wanted to know, munching on mini muffins.</p>
<p>Owen’s lips compressed into a thin line. "Bumps, bruises, concussion and a broken arm."</p>
<p>Laurel sighed explosively. "Damn. Who was the idiot in the truck?"</p>
<p>"He isn't the one at fault. Dispatch had problems." And he told them, which drew disbelieving looks.</p>
<p>"The heck was the newbie thinking?" Nancy muttered, shaking her head. "I wouldn't just give a go-ahead while my trainer and supervisor is puking his guts out!"</p>
<p>Owen shrugged, sipping water, feeling a little tired. He had slept for six hours, but even coffee hadn't helped. There was nothing he would have done personally to stop the accident from happening, he knew that. He was simply worried for various reasons, and he was trying not to act like a love-sick teenager who wanted to take care of his crush.</p>
<p>"And he switched off the comms!" Laurel exclaimed. "What an idiot! A spineless, brainless idiot! You own up to your mistakes! It could have gotten someone seriously hurt or killed! Carter could have been permanently handicapped! Gallis aren't fluffy chickens!"</p>
<p>But Carter was fine. It was something Owen told himself again and again. He would be released from medical, he had people to take care of him, and Owen would drop by as his best friend to tease him about the very fact that after all the shit they had been through, he had gotten run over by a gallimimus.</p>
<p>Business as usual.</p>
<p>Sounded about right. Best for both of them.</p>
<p>"I wish I could have a drink," he muttered.</p>
<p>Nancy scowled at him. He held up an appeasing hand, smiling a little.</p>
<p>"I know, I know. And you know I would never get hammered. Right now I wish I could, though. And it's just wishful thinking."</p>
<p>Owen had never experimented with how far he could go with alcohol, whether or not it would get back to his pack, influence them, give them a high or have them lose control. He really didn't want to test it either.</p>
<p>Josh placed a muffin in front of him with a small smile. "Sugar helps, too."</p>
<p>Owen laughed softly and decided that yes, sugar helped.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He accompanied Nancy to check on M, smiling as the massive mosasaur lazily swam past the huge windows that allowed both the caretakers and the visitors to see her underwater. Despite her size she looked elegant, graceful, hidden power in every twitch of her fins or gentle strike of her tail. He rolled onto her side as she brushed past the glass, showing her belly, then did a one-eighty and did the same with her back.</p>
<p>Nancy chuckled. "She's been playful all morning. I guess it's because of the activity in the hotel lagoon."</p>
<p>The hotel complex had a beach complete with water access that was part of the mosa lagoon. An underwater fence kept humans and mosasaurus apart. It had security measures in place so that swimmers couldn't squeeze through the fence or climb over it.</p>
<p>"Reports from the lifeguards say that M was over there all morning, just watching. They were having a kind of competition with lots of action. She loved it."</p>
<p>Owen smiled. "Entertainment. Keeps her mind agile."</p>
<p>"Oh, it does. And it makes her eager for shows, wanting to play."</p>
<p>M made whistling and clicking sounds. Her mind brushed over his, unlike the razor-sharp presence of the raptors, but still unique and known to him.</p>
<p>She was a curious presence, very focused on her handler, but also sliding along Owen's mind, mirroring her lazy cruise through the lagoon.</p>
<p>"The two of you have become quite close," he told his fellow preternatural.</p>
<p>Nancy wasn't as strong as he was in her abilities, very hesitant to get deeper into the mosa's mind, and she only used her talent when training with her.</p>
<p>"All that training paid off," she agreed. "She's also not pushing. I think we reached an understanding. As much as she can understand two-legged landbound creatures. I still don't want to risk swimming with her."</p>
<p>M wouldn't harm her, Owen knew. Because she had learned. She was careful, understood Nancy's limitations, and there had been one incident when Nancy had jumped in after a tourist who had decided to swim in the lagoon. M had pushed her head under her trainer and gotten her back to dry land.</p>
<p>It had been the one and only time both had been in the water together.</p>
<p>"How's the new show coming along?" Owen asked curiously.</p>
<p>"Quite well. Not perfected yet and the visitors love having her jump out of the water to get to the shark, so this will stay, but M's really invested in the new stuff."</p>
<p>And it was something new and exciting. A new game, not routine, and the animals were always challenged by the newness. Some reacted negatively, hating change, but M was the opposite. She was excited and loved to work.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen took the long way home, passing through the control room. He took in the park numbers, 26788 visitors so far, with at least four thousand more expected. There were no signs of trouble and Lowery gave him a bright smile and thumbs up from his station.</p>
<p>"All quiet," he said when Owen stopped next to him. "The Cretaceous Cruise is down for the rest of the day. Regular maintenance. Nothing else."</p>
<p>He nodded. While Owen wasn't part of Park Operations or the command structure, people reported to him. It was a little strange sometimes, but he had accepted it.</p>
<p>"Heard what happened," Lowery went on. "Damn."</p>
<p>"Yeah," he murmured.</p>
<p>"Didn't know the guy. Really big blunder. All the way up there with the intern mess."</p>
<p>He grimaced, suppressing a surge of anger. Owen kept his eyes on the giant screen that showed park operations status. Even the weather report was absolutely benign, not a storm in sight. They would have amazing weather for this week.</p>
<p>Someone called for Lowery and the other man excused himself. Owen just left the control room, checking on a few more enclosures, taking his mind off what had happened. There were people everywhere, enjoying the exhibits, the enclosures, the shows, the attractions. Cleaning crews were ceaselessly picking up trash or cleaning garbage cans.</p>
<p>Security troopers greeted him wherever he went. He nodded at them, knowing every single one by name. He made his way through tourists and staff alike, smiling when Serena waved at him from one of the greenhouses open for visitors.</p>
<p>His mind wandered, turning Claire's words over and over, reminding him of his very emotional reaction to Carter getting hurt. Owen wanted to think that he would have been just as desperate with anyone else of the team or his friends, but he knew the trigger lay so much deeper.</p>
<p>For the first time in a long time he wished his grandfather was still alive. The man had been strongly talented, had known so much about their abilities, and he had taught Owen the basics. He would have been the one to talk to about this, about Owen's growing connection to a non-preter human.</p>
<p>He was so screwed!</p>
<p>Absolutely and infinitely screwed!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He returned when things got too crowded.</p>
<p>The pack greeted him, chittering, barking, demanding his attention.</p>
<p>He basked in the closeness, let himself drift in the pack mind as he scratched and patted them. They surrounded him physically, warm bodies everywhere, careful as always. Delta chittered and he ran a calming hand along her flank.</p>
<p>"He's okay."</p>
<p>She snorted.</p>
<p>"And yes, he'll be fine. He needs to heal and he'll be back with us."</p>
<p>Blue rested her head over his shoulder and he hugged her, letting himself settle on her as the others went to chase lizards or insects. He gave her a faint smile as she pushed him to sit under a tree. She settled down with him, his silent guardian and anchor.</p>
<p><i>He is with you</i>, she murmured.</p>
<p>Owen refused to dig too deeply into that meaning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know this is short, but it leads up to the much bigger part that comes next and will probably up tomorrow. My weekend is blessedly free of everything due to well, you know, what's happening everywhere. I can write, write, write!</p><p>Hope you enjoy this little tide-over</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He was off duty until cleared by their resident doctor, which meant unless he wanted to go up against Dr. Svensson, Dan Carter was to take it easy. Really easy. He respected the opinion and advice of their doctor in charge, and he knew his own body well enough to go with the program. No one survived long by trying to ignore warning signals like pain and discomfort when there was the option of rest and recuperation.</p><p>He had been and still was a soldier. He knew when to stand down and do as ordered. Carter also had enough experience in the matter of injuries in the line of duty to realize that going against those recommendations might lead to complications, a longer recovery period or, in the worst cases, permanent disabilities.</p><p>Since his body reminded him in no uncertain terms that falling off a bike after colliding with a fully grown, twenty feet long and seven feet tall gallimimus was bad, not to mention the pain-killers that really did a number on his reactions, his thought processes and even his coordination, Dan really did stay home for the first day. And most of the second. The headaches were bothersome, as was his sensitivity to light and loud noises, but those aftereffects lessened.</p><p>Then he got antsy.</p><p>Reading anything gave him new headaches, so going through his emails and trying to decipher reports was a no-go. He could concentrate on reading for a maximum of one hour, then things started to blur.</p><p>There had been visitors; limited to actually just one at a time, but none had been Owen Grady. For some reason it bothered him.</p><p>Claire gave him a sympathetic look as she dropped by, bringing lunch. “Dr. Svensson asked us to give you peace and quiet. Give it another day or two."</p><p>"I'm fine."</p><p>And since when did Grady follow orders? a mutinous part of his brain complained.</p><p>"You are not and you know it. As does Owen. He’s… a little on edge."</p><p>Carter's eyes narrowed minutely.</p><p>Claire's sympathetic expression stayed, growing a little more empathetic, a little more caring. "I think he prowled around a few times, according to patrol units. I know he haunted medical for a while until Annika kicked him out. Just be glad you don't have raptors sneaking into the residential area.”</p><p>He wanted to raise an eyebrow, but it hurt too much. Even that hurt.</p><p>“He’s worried,” she added.</p><p>Right. He refused to be baited, but from her expression Claire probably knew a lot more than Owen would be comfortable with. Carter didn't mind the conclusions concerning his interest in the man. While it was his private life, the park was like a small town. It had a very active grapevine and residents knew about one another. Dan knew relationships happened in the park, some causing drama, some resulting in partnerships or marriages. All in all, nothing special in a workplace environments. He doubted anyone would bat an eye at their chief having a relationship. Not even if the relationship was with the raptor whisperer.</p><p>Many probably suspected something and hadn't dared to ask either man or voice their suspicions.</p><p>She tilted her head, thoughtful, sharp eyes studying him. “I know him,” Claire confirmed his suspicion. “Have known him for a long time. I won’t say that I know how he works, because that is an impossibility, especially now. With the pack bond things got a little more complicated, but he’s basically the same guy when it comes to relationships.”</p><p>Dan regarded her silently. Claire’s smile grew a little.</p><p>"I'm sure you have noticed that Owen Grady isn’t the most emotionally outgoing person, at least when it comes to more personal relationships. He has a ton of friends, he invests in those friendships, will be there for them, but intimacy is another level altogether. Now it is anyway. Not for the lack of possible partners, though. Don't tell me you haven't seen some of the student interns or staff give him a second or third look."</p><p>Carter gave a light shrug. "Attraction happens."</p><p>He had noticed, of course. Like he noticed those giving him a second or third look. He wasn't oblivious to the fact that Owen Grady was an attractive man. He also wasn't oblivious to his own effect on women and men alike. There had been offers for drinks, movie dates, lunches or dinners. Dan had gently turned them down, sometimes feigning ignorance, sometimes declining quite openly.</p><p>Grady, well, he had the fascinated gaggle of student workers and interns, those who liked to look, giggle and blush. The man ignored them all, handled those encounters as if he had no idea what they were trying to do. After a while Carter had concluded that Owen truly had no idea that they were flirting with him and it had been endlessly amusing.</p><p>Claire smiled. "Oh, yes, attraction does happen. You can also see that while Owen isn't a recluse or hates people, he never encouraged any of them."</p><p>"Because of the pack."</p><p>"The velociraptors make for fascination and fear in one. I've heard my share of day-dream fantasies about that. But he really isn't interested. When he is, you can see the signs when you know him.”</p><p>"Is there a reason as to why you are telling me all that, Ms. Dearing?" he asked neutrally.</p><p>“I know him. I can see those signs. He likes you, Dan. I think you reciprocate.”</p><p>He refused to react. At all. Not even the slightest twitch. He was a trained soldier, had been Special Forces, and tougher people had interrogated him. He could play the psychological games. Steely eyes held Claire’s warm, knowing ones.</p><p>“You might want to take the full frontal approach,” she advised, unperturbed by his neutral stance. “Owen thinks too much sometimes. And sometimes he refuses to listen to reason. He has a lot on his plate, being the alpha of a pack of genetically engineered velociraptors who have near-human intelligence. He might overthink or overreact. Like right now. But you should think about what this means for you, too.”</p><p>Still silence on his part. He wouldn't be baited. Better men had tried and failed.</p><p>“You would become part of a pack hierarchy no one but Owen can possibly understand, and he is a very powerful preternatural.”</p><p>Which Dan wasn’t. He didn’t have that advantage, but he knew people, knew dinosaurs, and he really knew the pack. He could read them.</p><p>“It has to be you, Dan. He won’t make that first step. That's all I can tell you, all the advice I can give you.”</p><p>With that she left him alone again, with his thoughts, with his aching body and not much to do but let the words slosh around his mind and wonder.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Owen was reasonably awake, had already had his second coffee and was just planning to just spend the next few hours with the pack when Alan Grant called.</p><p>While the man had a home on Isla Nublar and spent a lot of time as consultant and lecturer at the park, he had a life outside the island as well.</p><p>"Sort of a life," he had once joked. "It's always dinosaurs, no matter where I am. What's going on park-wise?"</p><p>Alan was currently on a dig in the Utah desert, looking sunburned. 'Just because we engineered them to a likeness of what we imagine them to look like doesn't mean we can stop looking,' had been Alan's argument to go and look at fossilized bones.</p><p>Owen understood. The animals at Jurassic World had spliced genes, foreign DNA supplementing what had been lost or hadn't worked for the scientists who had created them, and paleontologists would rather dig for the original than study the copy. It didn't mean Jurassic World didn't get science groups in troves.</p><p>They did.</p><p>And while most were respectful and behaved, there were some who stood out in a negative way that had the handlers' hair stand on end.</p><p>"We had a few minor incidents," Owen finally said. "And one big one."</p><p>The calls were weekly occurrences, a part of Owen's life, of their friendship, and it was usually filled with updates on each man's work and what else was going on.</p><p>Like Dan Carter getting run over by a gallimimus. An accident.</p><p>"What happened?" Alan asked, voice calm and serious.</p><p>Owen gave him a very detailed report, leaving nothing out, right down to the trainee getting terminated and carted off the island. There had been no legal action so far.</p><p>"Well, damn," Alan commented, looking grim.</p><p>Owen played with his empty soda can, looking at it as if it held all the answers in the world.</p><p>"Is he okay?" Alan now asked, brows furrowed, looking worried.</p><p>"Yeah. Broke his arm. Could have been worse." Owen scrubbed a hand over his face. "It was an accident, but a completely superfluous one."</p><p>Alan nodded. "Accidents happen," he sighed. "Especially when working with animals, but I agree that this could have been prevented. Are you okay?"</p><p>He blinked. "Sure."</p><p>The blue eyes in the suntanned face studied him like a specimen under the microscope and Owen almost fidgeted.</p><p>"The raptors?"</p><p>He switched to smirking, pushing thoughts about Dan out of his head. Not that it worked.</p><p>"Why, Professor Grant, are you worried about velociraptors?"</p><p>Alan grimaced. "Where else would I go to get therapy?" he shot back.</p><p>"Echo's fine. They are all fine."</p><p>Just that they had been out for blood. Well, Delta had been. He didn't mention it.</p><p>From Alan's expression he knew something was up, though he didn't push it.</p><p>The older man switched topics to student workers at the dig, the latest discoveries of an almost complete skeleton of what was probably a young carnotaurus, and his plans for the next few weeks. Owen let himself get involved in all that normalcy, just talking about lodgings at the dig, catering, the people working with Alan, and more.</p><p>So normal.</p><p>"Say hello to Mr. Carter," Alan told him before signing off.</p><p>"Will do."</p><p>There was a long second as if Alan wanted to add something, then he just nodded and gave a little wave.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Owen chose to spend the rest of the morning in the paddock, training, keeping the pack busy, engaging their minds to distract not just himself but also the four raptors.</p><p>Delta was still rather prickly, but she wasn't outright hostile. Owen met her mutinous gaze, nodding.</p><p>"I know," he said softly. "I do."</p><p>She snarled and then snapped toward Echo, who had nosed up to her. Echo reared back and barked angrily.</p><p>"Hey!"</p><p>Owen made a cutting gesture and Echo danced back, Delta still growling deep in her chest.</p><p>A night run might be best, he decided. Take care of the negative energy, power them out, have the pack work. Blue agreed, her own presence a little too jumpy, a little too tense and tight. She had herself under much better control, but just by a hair.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Owen cleared the run with Hamada, telling him that he wouldn't take no for an answer. The pack needed to stretch, to work it off. There was no argument from the current head of security.</p><p>So they set out just after the park had closed, taking the back routes, heading away from the general park area and deeper into the island.</p><p>Four dark shadows streaked through the night, followed by their alpha on his bike, hunting wild chickens, pigs or goats, sneaking up on sleeping birds, expending all that aggressive energy on whatever crossed their paths.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Carter was cleared for light desk duty only. Svensson had stressed the light as well as the desk duty part. She had made a very detailed Absolutely Not List, which had had Hamada chuckle. She had emailed it to him, holding him personally responsible.</p><p>So yes, desk duty it was. He wasn't even allowed to ride shotgun.</p><p>It meant Carter had time to dig into what had happened to have him end up in this situation. It had been a chain of unlucky events. He reviewed the log from dispatch and read the statement from the tech on duty, right down to the medical report on his food poisoning. It had been spoiled food the man had brought with him from home. The trainee who had taken over had decided to run the show, convinced the brief amount of time he had shadowed his trainer enabled him to make such decisions. When things had gone to hell he had bolted, thinking if he just didn't react everything would be fine.</p><p>Stupid.</p><p>Really, really stupid.</p><p>Then there had been the witness reports of every trooper. They more or less read alike.</p><p>Dan had accessed the camera feeds. What had been especially interesting had been those of the pack.</p><p>Watching his own accident had been a bit strange, but he wasn't going to have flashbacks or nightmares over it. Watching Owen stop Delta, seeing him through her eyes, her camera, looking into those hard features and burning eyes had been strangely intense. This had been the alpha, stopping one of his pack from going after prey and possibly wreaking havoc.</p><p>Dan looked at the screen, seeing more in those images than what the pictures told him. The emotion, the ferocity in those eyes, the fierceness. He saw the glimmer there, the hunter, the predator. In that moment Owen Grady had been single-mindedly focused, ruthless and cold, and he could have sent Delta to kill, let her run, but he had submitted her mind to his will. He had told her to stand down and get back to her job as a shepherd.</p><p>Within a few heartbeats.</p><p>This was what Owen was and seeing it was…</p><p>He switched off the recording, rubbing his eyes. His head ached a little and he grimaced when the cuts on his temple pulled.</p><p>He wasn't scared of the man, wasn't terrified of the power he wielded. He was attracted to him on so many levels; not a single one was simply his looks. There was so much more and this, what he had seen, was just another puzzle piece.</p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Recovery was a long and tedious affair. Broken bones were never fun and a broken arm was just as bad as a broken leg. With a leg you had crutches that stopped you from also using your hands, that were in the way, and it generally made for a nuisance. With a broken arm Carter found that yes, he could walk around, but one functional hand demanded that he adjust his daily routine. A routine that had always involved two hands, unconscious movements that now aborted mid-way, and that was now interspersed with cursing and gnashing teeth.</p><p>At least he didn't have to strap gear to his person one-handed. While he could take apart and clean a gun with one hand behind his back and even with his eyes closed, daily life was rather gun-free and filled with other challenges.</p><p>One such challenge was getting Svensson to clear him for driving around, which he managed by signing a paper that he had decided to do so against medical advice.</p><p>"I'm not taking up time from one of my guys for chauffeur service," he told her as he sloppily scrawled his signature.</p><p>"Then ask one of the designated drivers from Facility Services or the hotel!" had been her cool reply.</p><p>Well, he wouldn't. He had a perfectly good car and while the bruises complained, he didn't feature broken ribs that might shift. His head was okay. He didn’t get headaches anymore, he didn’t have dizzy spells, and he hadn't felt nauseous for a few days. Driving with one arm in a cast wasn't ideal, but he managed, going slow.</p><p>Yes, he could be a stubborn bastard.</p><p>It might be one of the many reasons why he and Owen had clicked.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>So one week after nearly getting turned into a pancake, Carter took the black heavy duty InGen SUV out to the raptor enclosure. One week of not seeing Owen Grady anywhere even close to him. Just brief calls, asking how he was, telling him about Owen's day with the pack. Nothing else. It would be normal any other time, but not when Dan had been bowled over by a panicking gallimimus and had had a raptor defend his unconscious body.</p>
<p>It felt strange to be driving around in his civilian clothes; clothes he rarely got to wear because whenever he was in the park, he was decked out in the black uniform with its body armor. And yes, he was armed even now. He never went anywhere without at least his personal gun.</p>
<p>All weapons worn by troopers were primarily to stun, though they also had lethal force on them. Carter doubted he would be able to put a t-rex down before it ate him, lethal force or not. Rexy Sue was faster than her bulk made anyone believe, and she had a cunning mind. She had studied humans, had been hunted and had hunted them. She had been around the block a few times, so to speak.</p>
<p>Just like the raptors. No matter how good your training was, a raptor on the hunt would get you eventually. The only difference between the rex and the raptors was that the pack had a human alpha, that they listened to him, deferred to his will, and Owen Grady had made sure to teach them. Yes, they had killed, but it had been to save Grady's life. Rexy Sue wouldn't care about stepping on a human or biting one in half.</p>
<p>Carter had looked into her eyes, had seen her cunning, had seen her evaluate him, then discard the small human as unimportant, though a possible nuisance. He had also looked into the eyes of the Fearsome Four, and he would trust a raptor over the t-rex any given day. They had a sharper, more single-minded intelligence, and sometimes they reflected something disturbingly human in those cold orbs.</p>
<p>Well, here he was now, to meet Owen in his own territory, but on Carter’s terms. Because so far their personal interaction after the incident had never been with just the two of them. Someone had always been around, be it park staff, troopers, or visitors.</p>
<p>Carter had stretched his legs by walking the park behind the scenes without making himself a nuisance or appearing to hover and watch his men work. He knew each and every single one of his men and women. He knew their qualifications and he had been personally in their final selection and the entrance interviews. He could trust them when he wasn’t there and he could trust his second and all the other team leads.</p>
<p>He had just needed to get out of his house and do something. Reading or watching TV got old fast. He couldn’t hit the gyms, run his usual routes or just ride his bike. So walking it was. Dressed as a civilian but alert for trouble nevertheless, he had mingled and hung around.</p>
<p>It was the first time he looked at the park from a tourist's point of view. He wasn't behind the scenes, couldn't be identified as staff or security, and while the storekeepers knew the chief of security, even in civvies, he didn't take advantage of that matter. He hung around the lagoon's beach, watched people swim, play and have fun, but he couldn't just switch off his nature to always be in alert. Carter couldn't take a swim himself due to the cast and the fact that he still looked like roadkill underneath his t-shirt and pants, but he could enjoy a drink or two. His face in particular reflected his current state: the two cuts and the assorted colorful bruises. He knew he looked like he had lost a fight, and in a way he had.</p>
<p>Dan had also spent time with various park staff, had accepted their well-wishes, had been invited to lunches or coffee breaks. There had been a lot of questions as to how he felt. He sat in on shows, training sessions or just enjoyed a quiet moment somewhere away from the more busy attractions.</p>
<p>Whenever he ran into Grady, who had a penchant to make his own rounds early in the morning or late in the evening, Owen had been his normal self, had teased him about looking like a punching bag, but there had been an undercurrent. It had been there for Dan to see and feel, in the way the man hovered without trying to.</p>
<p>Something was different. Not openly different-different, but subtly, on a very deep-down level Carter couldn’t even begin to describe. There had been cracks in the human veneer. It didn’t even make him uncomfortable, and that had him slightly on edge.</p>
<p>Now, he was greeted by all four of the pack milling about like they didn't have a care in the world. The paddock gate was open. Dan knew that Owen left them the choice to stretch their legs, that their senses were sharp enough to pick up visitors ahead of their arrival and they would move back into the paddock.</p>
<p>That meant they could identify his car.</p>
<p>As chief of security, it should be so very disturbing and actually wasn't. He had catalogued their behavior toward him before, had seen them outside, lurking, when he had dropped by, but it had never been this open. It should give him sleepless nights and uncomfortable days, but this was Owen Grady, alpha. Island alpha, he reminded himself.</p>
<p>Carter parked the car and after a second of contemplation he unbuckled and opened the door to get out.</p>
<p>Right into an open space with uncaged velociraptors that wore no muzzles and would be on him in no time flat. He wouldn't even have to contemplate running. He wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell. The only chance he would have was to get into the car and trust in the armor to keep them out.</p>
<p>Delta trilled a greeting that grew into excited chitters. Her nostrils blew wide as if to take in his scent. Blue was near the house, watching him attentively. Echo had been dozing in the shade and Charlie was watching from inside the entrance gate.</p>
<p>"Ladies," he said quietly.</p>
<p>Now Echo got up, echoing the trill, and Blue barked a few times. She gazed at him, the intensity of the stare going right into his soul.</p>
<p>"Blue," he added respectfully.</p>
<p>She was silent, just holding his eyes. Her nostrils opened wide as she sniffed, like all of them able to smell his injuries. He had had open wounds and even now a hunter like them could pick up on the scent. He probably smelled like wounded prey to them, but there wasn't any sign of hunting behavior. Just watching, waiting, attentive.</p>
<p>Carter centered himself, radiating an assured, assertive air. Even in his injured state he wouldn't show weakness. He had read up on animal behavior, on the studies done by behavioral analysts when it came to the dinosaurs in the park, and he had been especially interested in the raptor study. He knew they communicated, read body language, and they evaluated everyone. Those books had come in handy at first, but he had adjusted his view, added to what he had read, and he had learned, after meeting the Raptor Squad.</p>
<p>Dan took in their positions, their body language as they checked him out, and he found no sign of aggression. Curiosity, yes, but not even a shred of caution.</p>
<p>This was their territory.</p>
<p>Delta rumbled deep in her throat, stepping a little closer, head stretched out, but it didn't look like a hunting move. More curious, almost hesitant, which was quite unusual, and she was still scenting. Blue cocked her head, clearly alert, clearly keeping an eye on matters. Echo pushed past Charlie, who mock-snapped at her, and Delta turned, growling at the lower ranked pack mate. Her lips peeled back from sharp teeth and she hissed.</p>
<p>"Delta! Echo! Hey! Stop it! Eyes on me!"</p>
<p>The command had them all turn to where their alpha had stepped out of the shed that contained Owen's bikes and jeep. He looked like he had been working on one of his vehicles, dressed in very worn jeans and a black Henley. His expression was non-nonsense, his whole posture commanding.</p>
<p>"Delta, behave! Echo, Charlie, stand down. Blue?"</p>
<p>Carter saw her nod. It was so human, so very not raptor, and still it was nothing less than he had expected.</p>
<p>Delta huffed, looking defiant, and she actually stepped closer again. Soft chug-chug noises left her throat. It didn't sound dangerous, like she was prowling or warning him off. It was more along the lines of talking to him. Dan was interested as to what was playing out here. He fully trusted Grady to stop them should either of the four decide to want to play. He wouldn't say that about any other keeper, even when it came to tiny dinosaurs or the more laid-back herbivores, but Owen Grady had his absolute confidence.</p>
<p>"Hey, hey, I said stop!" Owen called out, brows furrowing as he stalked closer.</p>
<p>Yes, he stalked, radiating that assertive alpha power Carter had seen him do countless times before. It was always very impressive to witness, this self-assuredness, this innate strength and natural leadership.</p>
<p>Grady made a brief, cutting gesture and Dan knew there was a whole lot more happening on a very different level. Carter had watched, studied and learned. He could see it in the facial expressions, the way Owen's eyes tightened for a fraction of a second, then his lips thinned.</p>
<p>Delta was still her cantankerous self, huffing and puffing, baring teeth. Blue was silent, eyes narrowing on Delta, but the other raptor just muttered. She looked back at Dan, clearly wanting to approach, swaying a little without moving a single toe.</p>
<p>"Best behavior!" Grady told her sternly, the word accompanied by a gesture, and from the way Delta shook her head, it had been a command pushed along the bond as well.</p>
<p>Carter was as always intrigued by the display of power and command. Finally Delta growl-snorted, not at all happy, but she moved away, shaking her head once more as if to dislodge Owen from her mind.</p>
<p>"Don't give me that!" Grady said sternly. "You know the drill. Guests."</p>
<p>Echo barked, staying on the back. Charlie chittered at her and the two scuffled verbally until Echo relented with a last snarl. Owen shot them a warning look.</p>
<p>"I guess I should have called?" Carter asked lightly. He never had before.</p>
<p>The other grimaced and looked at the cast plainly visible against Carter’s skin and clothes. "What you should have done was have someone drive you."</p>
<p>"Because if I arrived by shuttle they wouldn't recognize the car and play good little dinosaur, keep up the façade, and remain in the paddock?" he taunted.</p>
<p>Owen's lips thinned.</p>
<p>"And I'm allowed to drive."</p>
<p>"On whose authority?"</p>
<p>"Mine." He held up his good hand. "Before you go all Svensson on me, I'm calling pot and kettle."</p>
<p>It got him a dark look.</p>
<p>"Relax, Grady. I'm not going to write you up because they are outside," he teased with a smile. "I would run out of paper if I did that every single time."</p>
<p>It got him an eye-roll. "You are a riot, Carter. You should get your own show. Soda?" the other man offered. "Because you're not getting a beer."</p>
<p>"And here I thought we were friends," Dan sighed.</p>
<p>"It's because we are friends. And because Annika is a scary woman who will have my head. She'll know. Even without any witnesses out here, she'll know."</p>
<p>They walked over to the front porch and Dan lowered himself into one of the deck chairs. His chair. It was the same chair he always had when he came for a visit. Carter caught Delta watching him and he studied her alert behavior, the way she seemed to be extremely reluctant to join the others.</p>
<p>"Do I have to worry?"</p>
<p>Owen handed him a soda, shrugging. "She kinda likes you."</p>
<p>Dan made a non-committal sound. His arm ached a little and he rested it against his abdomen to take the weight off.</p>
<p>"I think there is a handbook on what that means. When a velociraptor likes you it's never a good thing."</p>
<p>Owen's sharp look had him hold up his good hand. "The animals can get attached to others outside the trainers and caretakers. Without trying to eat them," the other man told him flatly.</p>
<p>Ouch. So very much ouch.</p>
<p>"We're talking your raptors, Grady. Not the generic trice or stego. They are imprinted on you and you alone. Anyone else is fair game. I think the only reason why they don't follow their nature when it comes to trespassers is that it would get you in a whole load of trouble. Mason Green comes to mind."</p>
<p>Owen's face was like made of stone. The intern fiasco was still a hot topic among staff and every new student or intern was given a long list of Dos and Don’ts. There was a whole chapter on the raptor paddock and trespassing.</p>
<p>"Raptors don't kill out of spite."</p>
<p>"No, they kill a threat."</p>
<p>Like people trying to kill their alpha, was the unspoken addition.</p>
<p>"Which you are not."</p>
<p>Carter schooled his expression, studying Owen's slightly drawn face. The man was fighting something, trying to keep something from showing, and while he was good, he wasn't that good. Carter could see something was up.</p>
<p>He had noted the favoritism among the pack in the past, filed it away, never mentioned it. Throughout his time at the park he had seen animals prefer one keeper to another, some attaching themselves to the talented more often than to those without preter abilities. M was absolutely enamored with her head keeper, for example. Getting the t-rex to do anything was a lost cause, though. She played with humans, ignored them at the best of times, tried to intimidate them at the worst. There was no connection, no sympathy, no bond.</p>
<p>And then there were the raptors. Highly intelligent, near-human in their capacity, with an edge no one had an understanding of but their handler. They had favorites, they held grudges, they made conscious choices.</p>
<p>"They develop a fondness or relation to others outside the pack, too," Owen now said, interrupting his musings.</p>
<p>"Which is why she nearly gutted that galli after it ran me over?" Carter asked provocatively. Yes, he had read the whole report. "I'd say that's more along the lines of protecting the alpha than helping the replaceable ally. Just head-butting the other away from me would have been enough. She was feral, wanted to kill."</p>
<p>Owen twitched at the words. Yes, Dan had chosen them carefully, provocatively. Grady stared back defiantly, a stubborn set to his jaw, posture stiff and unyielding.</p>
<p>"Heat of the hunt," he argued. "Their instincts can easily overrule logical thinking."</p>
<p>Okay, that alone should give him chills. Raptors thinking logically. They reasoned, they planned, they were organized and they adapted their plans according to a situation. They weren't simple-minded creatures, didn't get lost in the thrill of a chase, even when hunting or corralling. He knew Grady had had to really pull rank to get her to stand down.</p>
<p>"How's the head?" Owen asked all of a sudden.</p>
<p>Dan decided to play the game, let himself be steered clear of the topic for a moment. "No more headaches, which is a blessing. Unlike this," he raised his arm and winced a little. "I know it could be worse, but it also could be better."</p>
<p>"I'm surprised Svensson really let you drive."</p>
<p>"I signed the AMA sheet."</p>
<p>Owen gave him a mock surprised look. "They have AMA sheets? No one ever told me!"</p>
<p>"Because signing out against medical advice is not recommended when it comes to you, Mr. Grady. You are an unmitigated disaster on a good day. Whenever the Doc sees your name on her patient list, she expects the worst. Which could involve a bunch of raptors prowling around the medical building and you insisting you are okay, despite half your blood on the floor."</p>
<p>Owen pulled a face. "I'm not a disaster. And it was one time. Didn’t even need a transfusion."</p>
<p>"You are. I think you have your own emergency code now – because no one expects it to be the last time."</p>
<p>The call code actually existed, Carter knew. Just that Owen didn't know it and probably thought it was Carter making fun of him.</p>
<p>The other man nursed his soda, eyes flickering between the pack and Carter.  </p>
<p>"So, care to explain what's really going on here?" Dan broke the silence after a while, voice neutral as he gestured back and forth between them; including the pack.</p>
<p>Delta perked up, lips pulling back from sharp teeth. She gurgled a little. Blue was a silent shadow not far away.</p>
<p>Owen's brow furrowed and his eyes took on a carefully shielded hue. "What's going on?" he echoed neutrally. "Where?"</p>
<p>"Grady," he warned with a hint of exasperation.</p>
<p>It got him a quizzical expression.</p>
<p>"I might just be hired muscle, but I'm not stupid."</p>
<p>"I never said you were!" he protested immediately.</p>
<p>"So talk. Now."</p>
<p>"Uhm, about what? You know what happened. You might have to write off the bike, though."</p>
<p>"I'm not interested in the bike."</p>
<p>"Good. Total loss. Really."</p>
<p>Carter knew an evasive maneuver when he saw it. He had interrogated too many cocky tourists with flippant replies or defiance in their eyes not to know. And he knew Owen Grady. Better than the man probably wanted him to know him. Claire's words echoed in his head, accompanied by so many clues sliding together to make one big picture out of many puzzle pieces.</p>
<p>"I'm more interested in what's going on here. With you. And me. And the pack."</p>
<p>It got him a bland look. Carter had to give it to the other man. He was good. If not for the eyes, he might be on the same level as some of the targets Dan had faced down in locked cells or interrogation rooms in his past. But Owen, for all his alpha raptor vibes, was still very much human. And that reflected in those green eyes that held a wary, almost frightened look.</p>
<p>Any other time in the past Carter might have let it drop, might have ignored the signal. But not anymore. Because he had ignored a lot, had decided not to pursue the matter.</p>
<p>Today, this would end.</p>
<p>He had the proof. He knew the truth.</p>
<p>"I have it on paper that you had to push her to let someone near me; even you. The alpha. She defied you. She actively tried to hunt to kill a galli who ran into me out of pure panic. Not maliciousness, not to hurt me, just because the little bird brain was terrified. And that," another gesture toward the raptors that were avidly watching them both. "You want to explain the pack's behavior? Or do you want me to make an educated guess. Believe me, I will and you won't like it, Grady."</p>
<p>Owen remained silent, clearly working through something. "You're… pack," he finally replied, looking into Carter's eyes, daring him to argue.</p>
<p>Dan's brows rose. "Am I," he stated neutrally.</p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p>"Not just useful."</p>
<p>"No."</p>
<p>"Different place than Dr. Grant?"</p>
<p>A nod. It was like pulling worms! Yes, Claire had been more than correct in her assessment of the man. He was emotionally constipated when it came to himself. Carter knew he had to approach this like he would one of the pack themselves. Slowly, carefully, let realization settle in, drop a few more clues.</p>
<p>"Since when." Not a question either.</p>
<p>"A while."</p>
<p>"Precisely how long is 'a while' in Grady speak?"</p>
<p>Owen scowled. "You kinda became part of the pack over time. Fluid process. It happened step by step."</p>
<p>He chewed on that. Alright, so the pack had included him, without his conscious knowledge, and they had shown him that respect because he had unknowingly assumed a position in that little pack of five that made them now six?</p>
<p>"Why?" he wanted to know. "What use do I have to them to be considered pack?"</p>
<p>Owen's face underwent several expressions before he tried for neutral. "It's complicated."</p>
<p>Carter waited. No further explanation was given.</p>
<p>"Complicated," he finally echoed. "Because it's animal logic? Raptor logic? I'm useful to the pack because of who and what I am? Because I'm the chief of security? By that argument they would also favor Claire. We both hold a position of power and command."</p>
<p>Owen's face was almost stony. His jaw clenched, muscles ticking. There were rumbles and yips coming from the paddock. Throughout the last minutes all four raptors had silently, without Carter noticing, retreated behind the now closed gates. Curious.</p>
<p>"I know Dr. Grant is considered an ally and maybe extended pack. Like a visiting guest. I know Echo is his so-called therapy raptor," he went on, filing all of it away. "Doesn't explain you, though, alpha."</p>
<p>"Uhm, what about me?"</p>
<p>Carter attempted to cross his arms in front of his chest, but he was hindered by the specialized cast around his arm. It was a light-weight but immensely sturdy shell that was easily removed and didn’t need to be changed every week. Patients could shower or bathe with it, it was clean, didn’t smell, and the material was biodegradable. He grimaced at the discomfort of strained muscles and broken bones. Dan caught the flicker of concern in Owen's eyes, quickly hidden again, but it had been there.</p>
<p>"Your behavior. Which is reflected in the pack's behavior. Delta went almost rogue."</p>
<p>"I told you…"</p>
<p>"It wasn't the heat of the hunt," Carter interrupted him ruthlessly. "It was you."</p>
<p>The green eyes hardened and Owen's face closed off. Bingo, bull's eyes, hit the target, he thought with only a little bit of satisfaction.</p>
<p>"I know it from very believable and reliable sources that you slipped, Owen. It's not in anyone's reports," Dan continued. "She might think I'm interesting, but none of your raptors would lose it over me getting thrown off my bike. They were absolutely cool and level-headed when they hunted those men down at the beach, despite your pain and the way you projected it. They are very cold-blooded in that regard, not governed by human emotions. But their alpha is."</p>
<p>Owen's face was a pale mask, eyes burning.</p>
<p>"And you're either hovering or ignoring me. We've been friends for years and suddenly all you do is meet up when others are around. You never had a problem being alone with me. Now you do."</p>
<p>"I don't have a problem with you!" Grady blurted, voice rough. "And Claire told me to give you some time to heal up. A concussion isn't fun. You didn't need people crowding you."</p>
<p>"Pull the other one."</p>
<p>Owen curled and uncurled his fingers, minutely shifting his weight, so very much raptor at the moment. Caught between fight and flight, trying to decide what would be the better option.</p>
<p>Out from the paddock came a barking cry. Owen gave the general direction a dark look.</p>
<p>"Pushy much?" Dan commented and lifted a corner of his mouth. "Though they are probably just making my point."</p>
<p>It had the other man's head whip around, eyes widening. Carter smirked a little.</p>
<p>"I might not look it, Grady, but I can add one and one."</p>
<p>"I…"</p>
<p>"And I end up with two. Always. Easy math, actually. No degree needed. Whichever way I work it, the result's the same."</p>
<p>A shudder went through the lean frame. Owen blew out a breath, sounding almost like one of his girls, and the tension in his lean frame was tell-tale.</p>
<p>"Go do your own calculations, Grady," Carter just said, expression intense, serious. "Your ladies over there? They already did. Easy math. Follow their lead and learn from them, Owen."</p>
<p>He emptied the soda and got up, walking to his car, not looking back. His arm ached a little and the bruises were still a bother, but he ignored the discomfort. Carter could feel Owen's eyes on him.</p>
<p>As he drove past the paddock, Blue was watching him, expression serene and knowing.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Did you really expect Owen to immediately cave and for them to be at it like bunnies! ;) ;) I hope not! If you did and had your hopes set on some sexy times, so sorry to disappoint...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Owen threw himself into park operations work. It distracted him from what had happened, from the talk with Carter.</p><p>There was a stomach bug running around and several older triceratopes developed diarrhea, which was never a good sign in any animal. Two were weakened so badly, they didn't even get up anymore; one of them was in critical condition. The rest of the herd needed to be separated, which resulted in a lot of calling, bleating and general unrest.</p><p>The matriarch of the edmontosaurs died without warning or prior illness, which had the whole herd in uproar, two or three starting to fight over who would take over. The body of the dead dinosaur was hauled away and there was currently an examination running as to why she had died.</p><p>The introduction of five juvenile pachycephalosaurs didn't go as planned when the herd leader refused to accept them. The handlers had a hard time separating the two fighting groups and vets were called to sedate and treat the injured animals.</p><p>It gave him a lot to distract himself with, but it was also work that didn't occupy him enough to stop his brain from turning over the latest events and revelations.</p><p>Carter hadn't been blissfully unaware of Owen's growing fondness and the latest twist. He knew it wasn't just infatuation, the appreciation of a handsome outside and the sharp wit underneath.</p><p>And he had more or less plainly told him he reciprocated.</p><p>Dan felt the same.</p><p>The pack was unimpressed with his realizations. The looks were somewhere along 'we told you so'.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Neither Owen nor Carter talked about what had happened, what hadn't happened, what was between them and what could be. Dan had left him an opening, which Owen refused to take, and Carter hadn’t pushed. It wasn’t his style, unless he was pursuing shoplifters, trespassers or hunting poachers.</p><p>The pack rumbled and growled about it, Blue voicing her displeasure at Owen's refusal to accept Carter's open invitation.</p><p>They worked off their energy by shepherding stegosaurs, separating them from the trices, who needed to be isolated. They loved putting their wits against attack-happy pachys, who were already riled up from perceived intruders into their established pack. And they eagerly sniffed around the edmontosaurs to pick up on any kind of sickness or weakness.</p><p><i>You are still behaving like an idiot</i>, Blue stated when he removed the muzzle and rubbed apologetically over her jaws. Jackson Kant over at the pachy enclosure had insisted on it.</p><p>Everyone knew Owen's girls wouldn't bite the other dinosaurs, and their claws were more dangerous than their teeth, but he was a stickler for the rules and Owen refused to be baited into an argument with him. So muzzles it was.</p><p>"Yeah," he muttered as he hung up the token harness.</p><p>No argument there. None at all. Because he was.</p><p>
  <i>You think too much.</i>
</p><p>Yes, he did. He thought too much about consequences and possibilities.</p><p><i>Trust your instincts</i>, Blue advised gently. She had told him before. More than once.</p><p>“My instincts are crap in that regard.”</p><p>
  <i>Trust us.</i>
</p><p>He stared at his beta. She just gave him that calm, firm look.</p><p>
  <i>He fits. He won’t be an intruder. He complements you, Owen.</i>
</p><p>“And he might run screaming when he gets in too deep, when it really hits him what being involved with me means.”</p><p>
  <i>He communicates with us. He is pack. You want him to be more.</i>
</p><p>The others agreed.</p><p>Damnit! Emotions surged wildly and his body betrayed his logical mind. He wanted this man. He really wanted Dan Carter. And that freaky mind had already incorporated him into the pack, had decided to forego any discussions and just do it.</p><p>Owen groaned. He had resigned himself to just the pack and his friends, but now there was a possibility within his reach. And it was someone who didn’t mind the baggage Grady came with.</p><p><i>It is time</i>, Blue insisted.</p><p>Agreement floated through him and four raptors watched him with waning patience and annoyance.</p><p>“Why the hell are you even playing matchmaker?” he snapped.</p><p><i>Because you don’t listen to yourself</i>, was Delta’s very clear answer. She rarely if ever talked to her alpha directly, so Owen blinked in surprise. She barked angrily, staring at him in clear annoyance and disgust, then walked away.</p><p>“Huh.”</p><p>Blue snorted and followed to find a resting place.</p><p>Owen was left alone with his thoughts.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p> </p><p>The cast came off when the latest scan of his bones showed that everything had neatly knitted back together. Physical rehab therapy was still happening, but at least he had two functioning hands and arms again. Carter powered through each rehab session with gritted teeth as his sore muscles, sinews and freshly healed bones protested, but he knew his limits.</p><p>He hadn't reached them yet.</p><p>And he needed to be back in shape, which meant fingers that worked and an arm that had strength again.</p><p>Hamada smoothly handed over operations to him. He hadn't missed much. The introduction of seven stygimolochs into the new exhibit that had been in the planning for over a year had gone without a hitch. The small herbivores had fast become the favorites of children and adults alike.</p><p>His situation with Owen hadn't changed. The man was sweeping it all under a handy rug while Carter was strategically planning to set that rug on fire and be done with it. He was also done dancing around the topic of his emotional and physical attraction to the other man. Claire had been right in so many ways and from Owen's behavior, the man was drawn in two directions at once, unable to make up his mind.</p><p>Dan wasn't stupid and he wasn't naïve. He knew this was serious and could blow up in their faces quite spectacularly because of the pack. While Grady was human, he wouldn't just go through partners or intimate relationships like browsing for a tasty treat, sampling and then discarding what he didn't like. And Carter himself wasn't a man for casual, no-strings sex and one-night flings.</p><p>Whatever happened, it had consequences. For both of them, the raptors, the park.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Work kept him from just driving out to the paddock at his leisure. Running security on a park the size of Jurassic World was like handling a mid-size town, just with tens of thousands of visitors each day. It was a complicated matter, one that meant daily planning, meetings for updates, safety drills and security runs. There were dozens of small incidents per day, coupled with a few more serious matters all over the island. From the hotel to the Quarantine station to the ferry dock, it was all his jurisdiction.</p><p>Sometimes it felt like running the largest daycare center in the world.</p><p>Claire had laughed when he had grumbled about it in those words once, whole-heartedly agreeing.</p><p>While Carter wasn’t the only one to call in all matters, he was the arbitrator and final judge and jury in many. Some things were escalated from team leads to Control and then to him. Some even to Claire. A few he personally took care of.</p><p>The park had been hit with a string of stupid dares, ranging from simple shop-lifting to vandalism to trying to break off guided tours to get into the off-limits areas. One misguided individual had attempted steal a park staff's radio. Another had pulled the emergency release on the gyrosphere hatch, shutting down the whole ride. He had been apprehended as he tried to paint X-s on as many herbivores as possible.</p><p>Hamada had found a list of dares on the guy, as well as on several others. One of them had tossed his whole bag into the lagoon, only to be fished out later.</p><p>"I wish he'd still been attached," had been his second in command's growl. "The mosa might have had some fun."</p><p>They found out that the group of ten college-aged men and women called themselves the 'Jurassiteers' and not only did they spout a whole load of facts about the park, the flora and fauna, as well as all attractions, they had set up a rather idiotic contest with dares. The list was long, hair-raising, and the more dangerous the dare the more points the individual could collect.</p><p>Dan stared at the list, slowly shaking his head. "Does Claire know?"</p><p>"She's been informed. Life-long ban is already being entered into the system. We have their bio data, so changing your name doesn't do it," Hamada reported. "All their access passes have been revoked. Their families have been informed."</p><p>Carter cocked an eyebrow. "They are legally adults."</p><p>Hamada's face reflected just how indifferent he was with that fact. "I know what I'd do with my kid, adult or not, if I got wind of that stunt. Background is still running, but out of the three we already got back, at one is a trust fund baby, and the other two aren't all too bad off either."</p><p>Carter nodded slowly. That meant money. Lots of money. And money knew money. Simon Masrani would have their names on his screen and make sure that Masrani Global and all its affiliates wasn't a place they would find employment or any form of partnership.</p><p>"They are spending their time in our holding area at the moment. The hotel rooms were sealed and are being searched for stolen goods," Hamada continued. "The Hilton Resort's management isn't amused anyway. Looks like some ran up quite a tab, behaved drunk and disorderly more than a few times, and one was caught lifting some very expensive liquor from the bar."</p><p>"They set out to make quite an impression."</p><p>"Which they did. You want to talk to them."</p><p>Carter's smile was dark and foreboding. "I would be greatly amiss not to say hello to our little prominent gang."</p><p>Hamada nodded, eyes sparking. "Don't hurt them too badly."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It took less than twenty-four hours to have all ten of them shipped off to the mainland. They all looked like they hadn't caught a wink of sleep, which was mostly true, and some had looked rather scared. The consequences of their little game were harsh, which only served to impress upon anyone who heard about it that Jurassic World took matters very, very seriously. Monetary fines were issued, but the numbers were peanuts for most of their accounts.</p><p>Two had pleaded with Carter to give them a chance.</p><p>He hadn't been impressed.</p><p>"It was your choice," he told them emotionlessly. "You chose to come here, take part in this idiocy, and both of you were caught not only shop-lifting, but also endangering visitors and animals alike."</p><p>He took no pleasure in carting them off. It was his job. He dealt with idiots on a daily basis, starting from not wearing sunscreen to keeling over from dehydration to eating things they were clearly allergic to and eating so much they puked their guts out. There were lost kids, lost spouses, lost grandparents. People had their stuff stolen or misplaced it themselves, then screeched about lacking security measures. Whatever happened, some would always blame just about anything and anyone, never assuming the blame themselves.</p><p>The game of dare had been a more extreme incident, but those happened. Like quarrels that went from verbal fights to physical altercations.</p><p>So yes, he was very busy. When he wasn't at work, he had rehab therapy, his arm regaining strength and his fingers their dexterity. He would have to go through a physical evaluation before being put on active again and he wanted to pass that test as soon as humanly possible.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was two weeks after getting reinstated that Dan Carter decided that enough was enough. He had given Owen Grady enough time and enough distance.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>The morning had come with heavy fog that shrouded everything in a kind of puffy, white world, dampened noises and obscured the view. It didn't look like the sun had any chance to pierce through it any time soon.</p><p>Dan had maneuvered his jeep through the far from ideal visibility, conditions worsening away from the coast line, and he wondered how many visitors would complain to Services that this wasn't the weather they had expected. There was a while bulletin board website on the park's intranet that had collected outrageous, funny and downright insane complaints and demands from their visitors. It made for an amusing read.</p><p>Today was the day. He had three days off shift after pulling two weeks in a row, and he would use that time. Owen had had enough time to do the math, to decide whether or not he wanted this, and while Carter knew that he might get the boot, that this might change their friendship, Owen was feeling the pressure of his own making. It showed in aborted moves, in the way he looked at Dan sometimes when he thought the other man wasn't paying attention, and the biggest clue had been the pack.</p><p>He ran into Owen’s patrols now and then. Whenever that happened, the raptors were slightly closer to him than before, watching him, but they didn’t touch or tried to touch. He was under observation; intense, single-minded observation.</p><p>They knew something was up, could feel it.</p><p>The pack tested him, sneaking up on Carter, watching for his reaction, when he would react, if he caught on to the distraction as another stalked him. Some of his troopers showed a new nervousness whenever he accompanied them and the Grady Gang was around.</p><p>He calmed them, told them everything was fine.</p><p>But it wasn’t.</p><p>Something had to give. Soon. And the longer this went on, the worse Owen’s math results would be. It was so easy, so simple, but the man refused to listen to reason.</p><p>Carter parked and got out, listening to the sounds from the closed paddock as the raptors moved about, snuffling, rumbling, chittering. He only saw shapes in the fog. It looked eerie, like out of a horror flick.</p><p>He steeled himself for what was about to happen. This time he wouldn't follow Owen's lead. That time had come and gone. This time he was leading and he would go into it like he would into a battle. Talking was normally highly overrated when it came to such operations and Dan was usually a man of few words outside of briefings or meetings. He would lay down the facts in advance, watch and wait, and depending on the reaction, he would adjust his approach.</p><p>Carter had decided that the only way he could do this was to walk right up and come straight to the point.</p><p>No more beating around the bush. No more excuses. No more prompting and hoping the other party involved would move.</p><p>Owen wasn't moving. He was rooted to the spot like a terrified deer caught in the headlights. A very dangerous deer, sure. An alpha with a pack of raptors, but so very human nevertheless.</p><p>Carter wanted an answer. Not just to the question whether or not Owen was interested in a new level in their relationship. He knew that answer. It was there, underneath the shields, the masks, a longing and a closeness neither man had pursued. What he wanted was the answer to the strange sensation that hovered above them, that surrounded them, that seemed to freak out Grady like not even the i-rex had managed to do.</p><p>Something was there.</p><p>He wouldn't leave until he knew what this something was.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okie-dokie! Here we are. The big showdown you have been waiting for! And definitely NOT the last chapter in this... I truly hope it lives up to all the expectations!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Owen hadn't expected a visitor today, in this weather, and this early in the morning. The arrival of Carter's truck had caught him by surprise.</p>
<p>The pack was an almost distant presence, keeping away, watching and waiting like the predators they were. There wasn’t a peep from them. At all.</p>
<p><i>No hello and no warning?</i> he asked.</p>
<p>No answer. They were all there, as always watchful, but not even Blue commented.</p>
<p>Right. Not what he had expected, but should have.</p>
<p>Well, he also didn't expect Dan to walk right up to him and put down the facts, confronting him about their relationship in a no-nonsense, straight-forward and heads-on way. Their closeness, the fact that he was attracted to Grady and so much more, all of it had Owen fight down raw instinct and emotions with each and every word.</p>
<p>"I want the truth, Owen," Carter said firmly. "I'm not going to leave and you won't run. I want you and I know and can clearly see that it's not one-sided. It never was. I gave you time, I gave you space, then more time. I'm all done with that."</p>
<p>There was a surge he hadn’t expected, a desire, a hope and happiness. It was quickly doused; reality was different. Reality wasn’t pink clouds and happiness when it came to him, to the man who was technically capable to be the island’s alpha, who had four minds firmly attached to his. A man who was solely responsible for their sanity and survival.</p>
<p>He stared at Carter with wide eyes, jaw muscles working.</p>
<p>"Do you have an idea what you want from me? Really want?" Owen finally demanded, sounding shaky and hating it. He pushed the emotional wave aside, steeling himself. "It's not some kind of one night stand!"</p>
<p>Dan studied him. No muscle in his face moved. "I would hope not. Not my thing," was the even reply.</p>
<p>Owen's temper flared for a moment, then he fought it down. He refused to be emotional. He refused to be instinctual. So he exhaled sharply, almost with a hiss. Okay, not helping with making the point, he thought darkly.</p>
<p>"I come with baggage."</p>
<p>"Who doesn't? And I know just what baggage it is. It was hard not to notice from day one." Carter raised his eyebrows. "Anything else you want to say that I already know?"</p>
<p>“You have no idea what the baggage is, Carter!” he snarled.</p>
<p>“I don’t?” He looked pointedly toward the paddock that was shrouded in mist. "I think I've been around that baggage for quite some time."</p>
<p>“You’re not a preter!”</p>
<p>“Not seeing the point, Grady.”</p>
<p>“You have no idea what this is about! What it involves! What it… takes…”</p>
<p>“But I do. No preternatural talent needed. And having a relationship with you doesn’t require a shred of talent either.” He raised an eyebrow, making another good point. "You had your sights on Claire a few years ago. She isn't a preternatural either. So that's not the problem."</p>
<p>Owen’s teeth clenched and the rigid line of his shoulders spoke of a growing tension.</p>
<p>He forced himself to relax.</p>
<p>“Claire… it was pleasant... Not a one-night stand, but relaxed and easy. You and me isn't just… for fun. To take an edge off."</p>
<p>Dan was silent, watching him with the patience of man who could stake out a target for hours. Almost like a raptor, a wild part of Owen pointed out. Their eyes met and that same dangerously dark whisper told him never to take his eyes off a raptor on the hunt.</p>
<p>No. No, no, way no! They were both human. He wouldn't apply animal behavior studies to either of them.</p>
<p>"I have to consider what's best for them, Dan," Owen stated, lauding himself for remaining calm and collected. He nodded toward the paddock area. "I can't be selfish. Their survival depends on me!"</p>
<p>There was a loud bark answering those words. It sounded annoyed, slightly angry.</p>
<p>“And I’m a danger to them?” was the mild question.</p>
<p>“No!”</p>
<p>“But to you?” His voice was casual but holding a knife’s edge.</p>
<p>Owen mentally reeled back. Was Carter a danger to him? Yes. No. Maybe. He didn’t know, but a large part of him clamored that he was and wasn’t, was perfect and yet not.</p>
<p>“I… you might be,” he finally managed.</p>
<p>"Simon Masrani made sure you have undisputable ownership of those four velociraptors. The paperwork is airtight and would stand up against the best lawyers and courts."</p>
<p>It was a statement, not a question. Still, Owen nodded.</p>
<p>"You have a place on this island, no matter what happens to Jurassic World, the research labs or Masrani Global. My position as chief of security can't threaten you, Grady." Carter almost smirked. "I'm very low on the company ladder when it comes to decisions over your place and well-being."</p>
<p>"That's… yeah, maybe."</p>
<p>"But I am a threat nevertheless?"</p>
<p>Owen shifted a little, but not out of nervousness. It was an involuntary move, almost as if gearing up for another fight. Then he blew out air, relaxing his shoulders. Carter almost mirrored the move, looking more at ease, no longer so very military. No longer hunting.</p>
<p>Hunting… Owen wanted to laugh.</p>
<p>"Alright."</p>
<p>He shot Dan a startled look. "Alright?" he echoed.</p>
<p>"Yes. You considered all options. You weighed the pros and the cons. You would look up reports if there were any on this kind of situation."</p>
<p>"There is nothing on what this…" a general gesture, "is."</p>
<p>"Because there is no other very strong, preternaturally talented human who has ever connected to a bunch of genetically engineered, formerly extinct dinosaurs on a level that shouldn't be possible? Especially near-human intelligence apex predators like those velociraptors? Ones made for you, Owen Grady?"</p>
<p>Another grimace. Carter studied him like he was a very interesting specimen. He knew a lot more about Owen Grady than many. Owen had told him about the first raptors, about Dot, about losing them. He had told him about Blue being the first, then getting three more a few months later. And about the revelation that those four had been made for him, their genes tweaked to fit his mind.</p>
<p>"There also isn't anyone out there who has ever created fault lines in his mind to break apart into the minds of his pack. No one with a shred of self-preservation would walk into an animal’s mind. But then there’s you.”</p>
<p>Owen felt a wave of offense. “I know them,” he muttered almost petulantly.</p>
<p>“And Josh knows the rex, but he wouldn’t touch her with a long stick. You move in and out like it’s a walk in the park.”</p>
<p>“I’m… it’s not…” He faltered. Because it was. He did it with ease. Yes, it had been disconcerting at first, but now? It was… normal.</p>
<p>“Not to mention the whole Sorna fiasco," Dan added, relentless. He raised his eyebrows, making a point. “You didn’t just break along pre-existing lines. You cracked and shattered. You shouldn’t have survived, but you did.”</p>
<p>Owen clenched his hands into fists.</p>
<p>"I know it's still there, Owen. You have evolved, so to speak. You did something terrifying and amazing. You did something no one would ever have attempted or thought possible. You came out alive and sane. Though sometimes I doubt it." The last was said with a slightly sarcastic tone. "You give me more gray hair than any of your friends. I care about everyone here, but you have a very special place, Owen Grady. I like you more than I should and I've come to terms with that a while ago. I know exactly who and what you are. I like it all. The whole package."</p>
<p>"Dan…"</p>
<p>"Would it upset your status as their alpha to have a more personal relationship?" he finally asked when Grady failed to say anything else. “With me?”</p>
<p>The alpha protected his pack. He took care of them. He trusted them and they could trust him in return. Anyone new joining them would have to be tested, evaluated, accepted by the alpha first, the beta next. But Dan had already been accepted by the girls and all four had more or less pushed Owen to finally get with the program.</p>
<p>"No…"</p>
<p>"Would it change the bond?"</p>
<p>"No!."</p>
<p>"My inability to connect to them on your level doesn't change anything?"</p>
<p>Owen shook his head, flailing.</p>
<p>Dan gave him an expectant look.</p>
<p>"Carter… Dan… I'm… I'm not sure there is an out for you if we take that step,” he finally said “In nature, there are neither rewards nor punishments, there are consequences. You would be my partner in their eyes. You would be integrated in the pack."</p>
<p>He already was, his brain screamed. You already did that months ago. You made him part because the raptors accepted his energy, because it felt right, because it was the last important step!</p>
<p>"I already am part of this," Dan pointed out, sounding annoyingly reasonable, "as you pointed out before. I wasn’t aware of it. Not in the beginning. I have noticed their changed behavior, though. They integrated me on another level than Dr. Grant."</p>
<p>Owen felt his fingers tighten again, nails digging into his palms. Yes, Carter was there, but it hadn’t just been the girls. He had brought him in. He! Owen's freakish abilities and the accident.</p>
<p>"It would be different,” he rasped.</p>
<p>"Because there would be a connection between us that can't be mirrored by them or duplicated along the bond?" Carter tilted his head, looking almost amused. "A physical connection? A relationship that goes deeper than our already existing friendship? Did you ever take my side on this into account?"</p>
<p>"I didn't know you had a side, actually," Owen confessed. "I didn't think you'd ever consider us. At all. You know, high maintenance."</p>
<p>"Oh, you are. No doubt about it. Have been since day one of my arrival." Gray eyes danced. "As are they." He inclined his head toward the raptor enclosure. "I think I can live with that. I have been living with it, Owen. For quite some time."</p>
<p>Owen swallowed. Carter was absolutely calm. Cool and logical, serene and very much in control. A solid rock in a churning sea. Not aggressive. Not submissive. Just… unyielding.</p>
<p>"Really?" he finally asked. "Because this isn't some trial period before moving in together, marrying and raising the kids!" Owen balled his hands into fists.</p>
<p>Carter had the audacity to almost laugh. He glanced toward where the 'kids' were moving in the foggy morning, safely behind the gates.</p>
<p>"This wouldn't be some friends with benefits arrangements, no strings attached!" Owen continued firmly. "You have to understand that the strings are already there, Dan! There are ties within this pack, between me as the alpha and them, and all of them with those they consider allies, friends or trusted…"</p>
<p>"I've read up on pack structure," Dan informed him. "Part and parcel of becoming interested. In you, Owen. Very much interested in you."</p>
<p>Grady felt another hot flush again. And those words shouldn’t make him tingle and warm, shouldn’t launch a torrent of emotions.</p>
<p>"We already had the foreplay," Carter went on. "Two years of it. Slow, steady, testing the waters and letting your pack get to know me, as got to know them in turn. And their very interesting and attractive alpha. I want this. I’m going in fully informed and consenting."</p>
<p>He opened his mouth, mind racing. Those words had him hope for something he had denied himself because of so many reasons. "Two… You never said anything!” Okay, now that sounded very accusatory.</p>
<p>“Did I have to?”</p>
<p>Owen glared.</p>
<p>"You've got instincts, Grady. Really good instincts. You just don't listen to them when it comes to your emotions. Maybe I should have used more words. I do know you after all," Carter went on, voice very reasonable. "I'm not one to fall head over heels into a relationship, enjoying the highs, the newness, then complaining about the mundane, boring rest of it as the relationship establishes itself and the hormones even out."</p>
<p>He stared.</p>
<p>"I know what I'm getting into. Very much."</p>
<p>"You don't! You really don’t!"</p>
<p>"Then tell me what else there is," Carter said evenly. "Because there is. You’re making this a lot harder than it should be. I like you. I’ve liked you for a while. I’m very much attracted to all that's you, not just the handsome outside. I know you reciprocate, but you fight teeth and claws not to let it happen."</p>
<p>Too much. It was too much. Emotions were boiling up, seeking an outlet. They had been dancing this dance for so long. He wanted so much more. Owen felt the pressure of taking what he wanted, of finalizing something that Carter had stated had been going on for a long time.</p>
<p>The pack was silent, not a single shred of contact, and he was alone with himself and his emotional upheaval.</p>
<p>Why not do something about what he so clearly wanted, what they both wanted? Why stop himself?</p>
<p>Carter prompted him silently. The man had talked way more than ever before, which had Owen’s head spin.</p>
<p>It was all or nothing. He could lose it all. It was a terrifying thought. Owen had to put it all on the table and hope for the best.</p>
<p>"When I… shattered… fractured myself… and came back… I was vulnerable,” he explained haltingly. “The pack held me together, protected me. Annika called them the four corner stones of my mind. She is completely right. I touched every animal in the park, was aware of everyone on some level. And I mean everyone, Dan."</p>
<p>Carter frowned, then realization dawned. "Human minds."</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"You didn't touch them, though."</p>
<p>"I wouldn't be here today if I had."</p>
<p>"Because your ladies closed rank and refused to let you go there, touch someone who wasn’t them."</p>
<p>He nodded. A very apt description. They had been feral in their defense.</p>
<p>"I healed. I'm myself, but there are… cracks. No brain-damage you can see on an MRI, but it’s there. I could still do what I have done. I could do it again and again, it just wouldn't be recommended… healthy."</p>
<p>Carter gave him that look.</p>
<p>"I might have… enabled something new. The cracks are like superficial fault lines, but one runs deeper, through my natural shields.”</p>
<p>The other man was silent, watching him with an expression of intense concentration, like sizing up a target and lining up his sights.</p>
<p>“It’s not dangerous. I think. I mean, I’m not going to fall apart again just because of the crack.”</p>
<p>“Good to hear. No one wants that. But it’s something else, too.”</p>
<p>Owen’s lips thinned. “Yes. It’s something. Because… something grew out of it. A new connection. I wasn’t even aware of it for a while."</p>
<p>“You expanded the pack?” Carter mused almost as if talking out loud to himself. “No. No, I don’t think so. You wouldn’t. You didn’t, even when you had the chance to adopt some baby Sornas.”</p>
<p>Another muscle twitch. Owen felt tightly strung, as if he was about to break. All or nothing, he told himself again. It was all or nothing now. The full truth. No obfuscation, no lies.</p>
<p>The pale gray eyes were on him, singular, attentive and so very powerful. Alpha. Calm, assertive, not backing down, but not establishing dominion. There was a confidence there, reassurance and a display of trust, that had Owen mirror it all.</p>
<p>“I did the math a long time ago, Dan,” he said, voice surprisingly steady to his own ears. “I just never trusted the results of such a simple equation. There were too many variables. I never had just the two numbers to add up and get a result. When I was pushed over the edge, trying to survive, I did something unheard of. Yet again,” he added with a grimace. “I’m so far off the scale, I’m in my own category, I was told. Doc Svensson said my brain scan looks like a Christmas tree.”</p>
<p>"You gave me a place with the pack," Carter suddenly stated, sounding so calm and accepting, it was surreal. And he looked like the last puzzle piece had slid into place, as if everything finally made sense.</p>
<p>Owen stared at him, shocked and surprised, though he shouldn’t be. Carter wasn’t stupid, never had been, and quick on the uptake. And apparently he knew Owen Grady rather well.</p>
<p>"You already had one," he murmured.</p>
<p>"But you made it official?" That sounded almost… amused? "You wove me into the pack mind… because you liked me?" Yes, there was amusement there. Teasing. Laughter, even.</p>
<p>"Carter, you don't understand! Among all those on the island, animal and human, I reached for you mind, for a fraction of a fraction of a second, and I left you an in on what this is! It happened without your consent and I didn't even know it had happened!" Owen exploded, the emotions churning through him making him break again.</p>
<p>In a different way. A very emotional, non-preternatural way.</p>
<p>“You’re… there. In the pack! No untalented human should be able to do this!"</p>
<p>"You did it for me. Good for me then."</p>
<p>"Carter!"</p>
<p>"Owen?"</p>
<p>He exhaled sharply. "Do you have any idea at all what all of this really means?!"</p>
<p>"If you expect me to run screaming, think again," the man said levelly. "I repeat: I like you. I've been wondering if there was a possibility, a chance, because you would never risk your raptors. And even if I was talented, I could never be an active part. I wouldn’t be able to take it. But now I'm absolutely neutral in this, right? Like before. Just an addition with no power of my own?"</p>
<p>He concentrated on his breathing, on remaining calm, while everything inside him was churning so badly as he had never felt it before. He needed to be calm, he thought like a mantra. Calm, assertive, in control. Alpha.</p>
<p>The pack was silent. Just watching from a distance. Attentive, protective, but not aggressive.</p>
<p>Waiting.</p>
<p>Patiently.</p>
<p>The peanut gallery, but this time without a single peep.</p>
<p>"You have natural presence… and power," he finally bit out. "You are a natural leader. They reacted to your energy long before I made a mess of things."</p>
<p>It got him a thoughtful look. "So I became a part of your little gang naturally? By being who I am?"</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>“And whatever you did when you cracked… it only cemented my place, made it easier for them and for me?”</p>
<p>A nod. Owen didn’t trust himself to speak.</p>
<p>It got him a pointed look. He so wanted to bang his head against the wall. In the back of his mind, there was a soft hum of agreement.</p>
<p>"Your preter nature aside, would we have had a chance?" Carter asked reasonable. “Just the two of us?”</p>
<p>He nodded. Yes, there had been an undercurrent between them. Owen hadn't pursued it. Attraction was a common thing. Attraction could lead further or it would fade one day. Attraction had been a factor with Claire.</p>
<p>But this had been different from Claire and he should have seen it so much sooner.</p>
<p>"Before the Sorna incident, too?" Carter continued.</p>
<p>Another nod.</p>
<p>"And aside from giving me an in on a pack bond I'm unable to use, completely unaware of, and can't even grasp, has anything changed?"</p>
<p>Damn the man for twisting it all into a neat little bow on the enticing, very much desired package.</p>
<p>"No," he said quietly.</p>
<p>Nothing had changed. At all. Dan Carter was still very much not preternatural. He had no direct link to either Owen or the raptors. Communication was verbal or through physical cues. The pack had never shown a single sign that Carter was any different within the pack than before.</p>
<p>Both men were still very near each other, Dan patience incarnate.</p>
<p>Owen fought the urge to push the man back against the wall, catch that mouth and kiss him. He wanted to… very, very much. And he wanted more. He wanted something that frightened him because of the intensity he felt with.</p>
<p>Carter was here, had offered more than once, and he was okay with it all.</p>
<p>He is okay with it! part of Owen yelled at him. It was getting harder and harder to push his emotions away.</p>
<p>He wanted this, wanted this man, and he wanted him badly. He had finally opened the door to the emotions from two years ago, letting it all out. It was frightening in its intensity, in the clear, sharp want and hunger. So Grady took a gamble. He threw caution to the wind, simply followed instinct to take what he wanted. Because he had run all out of arguments and sound reasoning. And Carter was still there.</p>
<p>He closed that last distance, slid a hand over the side and placed a kiss against Dan's lips.</p>
<p>There wasn't even a moment's hesitation when Carter answered the kiss.</p>
<p>The contact was electric, frizzing through him, making him want things he had denied himself so often before. It was so easy to open up and to feel a wave of content and calm. Mixed with the trickles of hunger. And lust. He couldn’t deny that anymore. It was something that would set into motion so many things, such uncontrollable things…</p>
<p>And it was subtle, like a hum between them, a confession made without words. It was warm, deep, slow, speaking of emotions Dan had more or less already bared and which Owen was just now opening up to.</p>
<p>When they separated, Dan watched him expectantly, quizzical. “Not so bad, hm?” he teased gently. “When you let it happen.”</p>
<p>Owen simply pulled him close, the kiss turning hungrier, walls crumbling and inhibitions finally dissolving. The tightness in his chest, one he hadn’t really been aware of until now, suddenly eased.</p>
<p>Instinct reared its head and he pushed it back.</p>
<p>He was human. Not a raptor. Not guided by this instinct to claim what he had wanted so long.</p>
<p>Dan had the audacity to chuckle as they parted.</p>
<p>“That long?”</p>
<p>“Shuddit, Carter,” he growled.</p>
<p>The smirk was downright provocative. "Hm. So it needs work."</p>
<p>"Practice makes perfect."</p>
<p>A lot of practice, which both were very much into and willing to put into it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They made it to Owen's bed somehow, though it was a close call.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If velociraptors had the ability to clap their hands, there would have been a round of roaring applause. And cat-calls or whistling.</p>
<p>As it was, the pack retreated deeper into the paddock, feeling accomplished and balanced, even though ripples and faint echoes they had never sensed from their alpha before were now trickling along the bond.</p>
<p>They just curled up, relaxed, and let the two men work it out as they should have so long ago.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their first time was without real finesse, just taking the edge of. Yes, it had been a long time since he had last felt someone else’s touch in an intimate way, be it male or female. And Dan’s touch was firm, claiming, without a shred of hesitancy. He seemed to know what Owen wanted, had no qualms being both dominant and submissive in one, and somehow Owen mirrored it. He wanted this man, but he also wanted to feel him. He wanted to claim and he wanted to be claimed.</p>
<p>Two alphas, both in their own right, both so very different and so very strong in their chosen fields.</p>
<p>Just having him naked in bed with him had Grady lose a few more brain cells, not to mention what the touches and caresses did to him. As Dan did just the right thing, that little twist, increasing the friction.</p>
<p>Owen came with a low groan, spilling into Dan’s hands. It broke something inside him, shattered into a million pieces and somehow it freed something else. It was a sensation like a knot had been split, like suddenly being free of an oppressive weight that had sat on his very soul. Like his whole skin burst open and emotions he had held in check were unleashed.</p>
<p>It was an incredible feeling.</p>
<p>Heady.</p>
<p>And it had an underlying fierceness he had never felt.</p>
<p>They didn’t go any further. It already blew his mind when Carter sucked him off not much later without hesitating for a second, and Owen’s very vocal encouragement was testimony to how good it felt.</p>
<p>“Been a while?” Dan stated, voice low and rough, as he leaned over the other man, gray eyes roaming over the muscular chest. He was smiling devilishly, looking very pleased.</p>
<p>“A bit,” Owen managed roughly. “Damn!”</p>
<p>It had been…</p>
<p>Amazing.</p>
<p>Frightening.</p>
<p>Beautiful.</p>
<p>Different.</p>
<p>And he couldn't believe that this man was now next to him, absolutely naked, open and warm, watching him with this teasing smile. Dan Carter. He wanted to pinch himself.</p>
<p><i>Pack</i>, floated through his mind, from no specific source. Dan Carter was pack. The four ladies out in the paddock had long since accepted it, but their thick-headed alpha had fought it tooth and nail.</p>
<p>Pack was strength and protection, but also meant another kind of safety. It meant balance and stability. And Owen felt incredibly balanced right now.</p>
<p>“And here I thought I was that good," Dan rumbled, sounding way too amused.</p>
<p>Hands mapped over his skin. The warm fuzzy feeling was still there, but closer, calming, surrounding him. He felt so much lighter, so much better, that weight truly gone.</p>
<p>And it was real.</p>
<p>He had taken this step and it was good and real and all his.</p>
<p>“Already fishing for compliments?”</p>
<p>“Hm, kinda.”</p>
<p>“Well, I wouldn’t say no to a repeat performance in the very near future.”</p>
<p>Carter smirked. “As compliments go, it’s kinda lame.”</p>
<p>Owen drew him down into a kiss, his other hand sliding over firm, warm skin, finding the hard evidence of Dan’s own arousal. He liked to feel of it. Of the whole man. The hard muscle and warmth, the heaviness, the strength. He returned the favor, watching each twitch in the handsome face as he fisted him, committing the noises he made to memory. When he finally closed his mouth around the straining cock, Dan groaned deeply, coming not much later.</p>
<p>"Just don't," he rasped when Owen gave him that smug grin.</p>
<p>"And here I thought I was that good," he echoed Dan's words of earlier, laughing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If anything of their time together spilled over to the pack, none of the girls mentioned it. Blue just watched him with an almost enigmatic expression when he left the house a long time later. Yes, there had been another round and it had been a little bit more experimental. Neither man had gone too far, both still testing the waters, but Owen wasn't opposed to bottoming and apparently Dan wouldn't mind either.</p>
<p>But that was for another time.</p>
<p>Because they had time. Time to get to know each other in a new way, to see what the other liked, preferred, and what it felt like.</p>
<p>Because it felt incredibly good. Warm. Intimate. Right. Oh so right.</p>
<p>Blue hummed, then clicked softly.</p>
<p>Okay, so maybe stuff had spilled.</p>
<p>And just maybe they could categorize those emotions, especially coupled with the sounds that they had clearly been capable of hearing. Owen refused to think of how he smelled to them now.</p>
<p><i>Like him</i>, Blue informed him cheekily.</p>
<p>"Who asked?" he muttered.</p>
<p>She was laughing.</p>
<p>All dinosaurs had been engineered to be unable to reproduce. All were female. All had never displayed any kind of mating habits. But four of them had a human alpha connected to their minds. A human alpha who had just had a heck of a hot night, making up for years of a dry spell.</p>
<p>Blue snorted loudly, still radiating amusement, then she turned and walked off, tail swinging. She reminded him that this could have been his for a while now, that he could have taken his mate already, that his mate had been ready before he had been.</p>
<p>The others were a lazy, dozing presence, enjoying the balmy day, but agreement floated through the link.</p>
<p>"Aw, hell," Owen sighed and shook his head.</p>
<p>He turned and walked back into the house, aware that the pack had been there, had probably gotten a really good first row show, because their alpha hadn't found a single brain cell capable of thought to shield himself.</p>
<p>"They know?"</p>
<p>Part of him had been acutely aware of the other man's approach, his very presence, so the question didn't startle him. He turned and nearly lost his train of thought, coming face to naked chest with Dan. The man was only clad in a towel, hair still wet from the shower, unshaven, and it was… rather a good look on him, Owen thought, a strange hunger twisting in his stomach.</p>
<p>He was how old again? Not a teenager! he argued with himself. Just because he had had some really good sex after a long time of none at all didn't mean he could just lose his higher brain functions!</p>
<p>Well, apparently he could. Along with all trained preternatural abilities, not to mention speech.</p>
<p>"Uhm…"</p>
<p>There. Point. Evidence in one word.</p>
<p>Carter had the audacity to grin, though the kiss was nice.</p>
<p>It was an almost chaste contact, gentle in a way, and still it showed more than any devouring kiss would have.</p>
<p>"Bad ass alpha raptor at a loss for words?"</p>
<p>"Bite me," he grumbled without vigor.</p>
<p>"Again?"</p>
<p>Owen rolled his eyes; so hard. He nipped at the other man's lips, glaring for good measure.</p>
<p>"They okay?" Carter murmured.</p>
<p>"Sure."</p>
<p>"Owen."</p>
<p>"They are absolutely fine, Dan. Not at all scandalized, though I guess they should be. They had front row seats. They're just happy I finally got with the plan."</p>
<p>It got him the mildly raised eyebrows. "Don't tell me they were in on the pool?" he teased.</p>
<p>Owen snorted, eyes tracking over the smooth chest on display, seeing a few faint marks of last night. He kind of liked that. He watched the play of muscle, felt the want to touch this again, to curl up around the warmth and just let himself enjoy what he hadn't believed possible.</p>
<p>He wanted this. He wanted everything. He wouldn’t give anything back and would fight to keep what he had already.</p>
<p>"Of course you'd know," he muttered.</p>
<p>"I have my sources." The gray eyes were alight with silent laughter.</p>
<p>Owen shook his head. "It might just be that I was the last guy to know about all of this."</p>
<p>Carters face reflected nothing but fondness mixed with amusement. "You figure that out now, Grady? Your girls were probably in on that pool. At least they had a better idea of their alpha than the alpha in question had of himself. And you ignored your instincts.”</p>
<p>Owen glanced at him, a rueful smile on his lips. “Yes.”</p>
<p>Dan chuckled and soothed the teasing words with another kiss. "I take it they don't mind me taking their alpha away from them."</p>
<p>"You're not taking me away. You're pack," he reminded him quietly, with just a little of the old tension back again.</p>
<p>"As are they. I don't see any of them trying to change their relationship with you."</p>
<p>Owen grimaced. "That's so bad…"</p>
<p>"And I'm not actively connected to them. Just you."</p>
<p>"No. But you're part of it nevertheless."</p>
<p>Because of Owen's little foray into a whole new world. They had just about taken a first step and he had no idea where this was going.</p>
<p>"I like being connected to you." Dan's voice was serious, as was his expression. "And I know what it means to be pack, Owen. I went into this well-informed, both eyes open, and after having a long time to think about it."</p>
<p>"Have to get used to that," he confessed.</p>
<p>The next kiss was longer, deeper, relaying everything and still not enough. It held a promise he had never given anyone before. Hands found their way under Owen's shirt. Strong, capable and sure hands. No hesitation. No shyness. Just them.</p>
<p>Intimate, yes. So very, very intimate.</p>
<p>Owen was all too happy to comply. He did have to get used to it, to having this freedom, the choice, the happiness… and to have someone who knew what this meant.</p>
<p>"I like you," Carter murmured when he drew back. "And I kinda got attached to those four vicious little ladies."</p>
<p>"Good," was Owen's low answer. "Because I like you, too. And so do they."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Somehow there was no adjustment period. Owen didn’t need to get used to Carter being there, with him, around him, because it was just like before. They had spent so much time in each other's space, there was no change to what had already been his life; their life. Now with a few added benefits.</p>
<p>The pack was taking it all in a stride. There was no unrest, no newness that they didn’t like, no jealousy. He was kin, part of them. With the way they had been pushing their human alpha to acknowledge his feelings it came as no big surprise that they treated this as just what they were already used to.</p>
<p>Carter slowly let himself ease into having four raptors around him who viewed him as one of their own. He had no problem watching Grady among them, how he moved with assurance and ease, stroked over their flanks, patted their necks and somehow didn’t end up with his clothes all clawed to pieces. It had been heart-stopping to see Blue touch him so casually, like another human being would, her sharp talons never leaving a tear. He had gotten used to it over time, in the years knowing this special man, but even now it had him tense for a fraction of a second.</p>
<p>Sometimes Blue looked at him. Single-minded, intense, like trying to tell him something, talk to him as she did to her alpha. There were small shifts in her body language, the way her lips twitched, the way her eyes narrowed for just a second.</p>
<p>Carter understood. Owen was one of them. He would never be in danger. They were all very much aware of their human alpha and they moved in accordance to where he was, following his non-verbal cues, also listening to his voice and his energy. Not to mention that he could talk to them in a specific way.</p>
<p>Walking into the enclosure himself was a no-go. Dan would move around the compound even when they were outside if he had to, but never into the paddock. He was on alert whenever they milled around out of the paddock, quite aware where each pack member was, his training having him track them automatically.</p>
<p>Owen didn’t pressure him to come with him. No one pressured him, not even Delta, who liked to sneak closer and sometimes was within arm's reach. She stuck to him when they were going on patrols, with a respectful distance, and she scuffled with her sisters over her place.</p>
<p>None of the troopers remarked on it. They kept a wary attention on the raptors, just like before, but that was all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carter hadn’t changed his approach of the pack. There was respect, which was absolutely mutual, and some guarded interaction, but he didn’t waltz into the paddock or treated them as anything less than highly intelligent, potentially lethal predators.</p>
<p>He stayed on the other side of the fence, didn’t offer to help with preparations, nor did he try to handfeed and pet them.</p>
<p>“They’d let you,” Owen told him as he wiped down gear and stowed it. “Delta in particular.” He grinned and winked.</p>
<p>"Thanks but no thanks," was the dry reply.</p>
<p>Echo and Delta were curled up close together, dozing. It was a false peace, suggesting cuddly dinosaurs and sleepy snuggles, but he would never make the mistake to think of them as anything but dangerous.</p>
<p>"They read your energy," Owen added. "You are a natural reader and they react to it. You don't radiate the fear of prey."</p>
<p>"But I would be easy prey."</p>
<p>"You aren't, Dan. You never were. Wariness is natural. Caution, too. They respect that. It's how raptors function, too. You don't survive in the wild by attacking everything on sight. They hunt primarily for food."</p>
<p>Carter watched Charlie dig around in the ground. Earth and sand were flying everywhere.</p>
<p>He knew they had an amazing strategic thinking. He would never forget how those four had looked for their missing alpha and killed a group of armed poachers, going about it like a strike team. It had been a surgical strike, taking out those who had dared to hurt their alpha, and they had taken revenge.</p>
<p>But none of them had ever attacked or hurt one of his men.</p>
<p>He blew out a soft breath.</p>
<p>Owen watched him with patience and calm.</p>
<p>"I am the alpha's mate," Dan finally stated.</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"Even though I cannot communicate with them like you?"</p>
<p>"You can."</p>
<p>"Hand signals, whistles and energy?"</p>
<p>Another nod.</p>
<p>"It would be enough?"</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>So simple. Carter was doubtful. His own caution screamed at him not to go into the smaller enclose, even though he had walked around in the open area when they were outside. It was paradoxical, but it was ingrained into him as a soldier. Small rooms were perfect for an ambush. Walking into a supposedly empty house or room meant possible traps. And it gave him less room to maneuver.</p>
<p>Owen watched him, a fine smile on his lips. He finally closed the small distance between them, catching Dan's lips in a kiss. It had become an addiction and he liked it.</p>
<p>“Even without the link they read you and you can read them. They know you are not a raptor, can be hurt by them quite easily, but you aren’t defenseless, Dan. You can hurt them in turn.”</p>
<p>Gray eyes narrowed and he unconsciously touched the gun strapped to his thigh. There was also a sheathed knife and a tazer. Owen gave him a pointed look.</p>
<p>“You think I can pull any of those weapons fast enough to even give them a bruise?”</p>
<p>“You never know. I trust you not to hurt them, just like I trust them to treat my mate with respect.”</p>
<p>There was a bellow from within the paddock, followed by more calls. Carter chuckled as four pairs of eyes looked at them. They looked rather offended. Delta huffed once, then pointedly curled up once more, her back to him. Blue watched the two men, then disappeared between the trees to do whatever.</p>
<p>He had been aware of them for a long time, as a presence, but not in his mind. That sixth sense of them, of Owen, but no empathy and absolutely no telepathy. For Carter it was like the change of pressure before a storm, the electricity in the air, but always muted. He had no talent in that regard. It all went through Owen and his powerful mind with its fault lines and the cracks in his shields. Well, only one crack now. A permanent one. It was a complicated structure, completely self-sufficient, yes, but also vulnerable because Owen was the center of it all. It stood and fell with him.</p>
<p>It wasn't perfect, but it was them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Life fell into place somehow. Carter still migrated to his home on his off days, or throughout a patrol, or just over night, even though the commute was longer than from is place. There had been no talk about moving in together and it had never become a topic. Both weren't used to having another person around 24/7 and their different schedules would mean quite a messy start for their relationship if in close quarters.</p>
<p>So commuting it was. And things started to appear in the other place, like clothes and personal items.</p>
<p>Owen enjoyed having Dan around and not just for the more physical aspects of their new relationship. There was suddenly another human being around who wasn't an intern, an assistant, or one of the vets. Someone who wasn't here in an official capacity or just to spend a few hours talking. Someone who was staying, who was close, their touches and interaction intimate. While it was so very new, it was also really… nice. Really, really nice.</p>
<p>Blue was that smug presence in his mind. <i>Told you.</i></p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah," he muttered.</p>
<p>Carter looked up from whatever he was reading. It was work-related, that much Owen knew. "Losing another argument with your beta?" he asked, eyes dancing with laughter.</p>
<p>"Oh, shut up and keep out of it."</p>
<p>"Out of an argument with a velociraptor with near-human intelligence and a much better sense of her alpha than the alpha in question? Gladly."</p>
<p>Owen glowered at him.</p>
<p>"The very beta who more or less tried to kick you into thinking with your instincts instead of your too complicated human brain? Any day."</p>
<p>Now there was a warning.</p>
<p>"The beta who probably would have head-butted you into me if you hadn't finally understood what your instincts were trying to tell you? I'd be stupid to interrupt that kind of conversation."</p>
<p>"Dan?"</p>
<p>"Yes?" was the innocent query.</p>
<p>Owen stared into those laughing eyes, took in the ease, the way Carter seemed to very much… home, here, with him… and his tension disappeared.</p>
<p>"For some reason I believe that your inability to hear them is a blessing," Owen grumbled. "Blue would be even more insufferable and I really don't want to know what you two would be talking about."</p>
<p>Carter had the audacity to laugh.</p>
<p>Inside his mind, the pack was echoing the sound of amusement and mirth in their own way, and Blue's presence was just… smug. Absolutely smug and in agreement.</p>
<p>Dan watched him, clearly interpreting his expression correctly. He wisely turned back to his tablet, reading.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> On the outside their more intimate relationship didn't show. There were no soft smiles or warm expressions. They didn't hold hands or kiss. They were just colleagues; and at work. Professional distance was mandatory. Their behavior was the same as before. Owen hung out with Dan after the man's shift was over, they shared a beer at Winston's or a drink at Margaritaville. Usually it was outside tourist hours, just before the restaurant closed for the night.</p>
<p>Movie nights had them share popcorn, enjoy the entertainment, and then leave as friends. Owen didn't want to hide their relationship, but he wasn't one for big displays of affection in public. Carter followed his lead, but it wasn't a problem for him either.</p>
<p>"We've been dating for a while already," he said calmly. "Almost two years. And I'm past the age of hand-holding and googly eyes."</p>
<p>Owen chuckled. They were sitting on an outlook near the paddock, a small hill that gave them a perfect view of the ocean in the near distance. He bumped their shoulders together.</p>
<p>"And I very much like to reserve my hand-holding for private moments," Carter added with a sly smile.</p>
<p>Owen hummed. "Yeah, I can see the attraction in that."</p>
<p>It looked like a well-practiced move, though it wasn't, as Dan lay back into the ground and Owen settled over the other man's hips. Carter's hands rested on Owen's hips, the smile on his lips inviting and warm. Owen leaned over him, then kissed that smile, diving into the warmth of his mate's mouth. </p>
<p>Making out with Dan was one of his favorite past times. Just kissing him, touching him, exploring the hard-muscled form, every square inch of naked skin as he peeled off the clothes, had Owen want so much more. And blowing him shouldn't be this desirable, to listen to the soft encouragements.</p>
<p>The man was contagious… addictive… his… only his.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen looked loose, pliable, so very at ease, and he clearly enjoyed Dan's caresses, his little bites against his collar bone, his chest, down his belly, then over his very interested dick. Returning the favor.</p>
<p>Carter grinned, very invested in having the other man just let go, give in to his needs, forget who and what he was for a moment, and to just feel. Owen was always the alpha, always protective, and not just of the pack but every single animal in the park. As much Owen refused to acknowledge it, he was more than just the alpha of his pack. He was so much more, held a natural power because of his abilities.</p>
<p>It showed in the way he touched Dan, how he was determined to bring him off after playing and teasing, then changing pace and giving Carter one heck of a blow job that seemed to suck everything right out of him. Dan enjoyed himself, the slightly rougher interludes, the single-minded attention, the unbridled desire and hunger in each touch.</p>
<p>Having Owen finally give in to him, surrender control, to have him forget this for a while, to have him only feel Dan's hands and lips on him, was one of Carter's goals.</p>
<p>And he liked doing it. He loved to taste and feel the man. He lost himself in the contact, the taste and sound, restraining himself not to go too far just yet. They were still getting to know each other this way, becoming more and more to each other, and Owen was learning to give and take, just like Dan was learning to do the same. He wasn't opposed to bottoming for Owen, liked it actually, and he was looking forward to it.</p>
<p>Right now he just enjoyed what was freely given.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once a month, Owen, Carter and Claire met up for a brief exchange on park matters. Claire, as park management, and Carter, as park security, were always in direct contact about any and all matters anyway. They had meetings with the vendors and restaurant owners, the franchise businesses and the seasonal stalls. Then there was facility management and maintenance, suppliers, department heads and so on and on. Owen only dropped in when it came to animal issues, which meant sitting in a room full of people who each were responsible for a different sector and trying not to smack some of them for being juvenile and out of line.</p>
<p>Sometimes he came very, very close to it.</p>
<p>Meeting up with only Claire or Carter or both was a lot more relaxing, though the issues were always serious and never just for coffee.</p>
<p>"Simon decided to postpone the new attraction," Claire told both men. "There had been some discussion of either going forth with it or turning it into something else entirely. Simon decided for the latter to raise awareness for the treatment of poached dinosaurs."</p>
<p>Owen's brows shot up. "What's the plan?"</p>
<p>"For the next months we will have some heavy restructuring, opening a second quarantine station that will be solely for the rescued dinosaurs. They will be brought to Isla Nublar to be cared for. There has been a lot of death and I agree with Simon that if we can save even one of those poor souls, we should attempt it."</p>
<p>"And give the public a show?" Owen asked, voice tight.</p>
<p>Claire's smile was calm and disarming. "No. Quarantine Two will be closed for the public, but open for visiting vets and paleobiologists. Dr. May will handle One and coordinate with Dr. Sinclair, who will run Two. Sinclair has been working in Quarantine for years now and knows procedures. Two will have an enclosure attached, sectioned in different habitats, to get the abused animals reintroduced into the wild, into packs, enable them to learn to be an animal. We all have seen the footage, have read the reports, and some of them were chained and caged all their lives."</p>
<p>Owen's face was a mask of controlled anger. Carter was absolutely expressionless.</p>
<p>"Simon wants to raise awareness for what happened with the illegally hunted and captured dinosaurs. The legal side and the law-suits are one thing, showing the world what those people did to the dinosaurs is another."</p>
<p>"Are you planning tours?" Carter wanted to know, pragmatic and probably already going through security features.</p>
<p>"So far, no. There will be press tours, of course." The chief of security nodded, making notes. "And we will have science groups, as well as specialists coming and going. Quarantine Two will have no housing, except the usual treatment rooms, surgical theater and stables."</p>
<p>"Those animals come most likely from Isla Sorna," Owen reminded her. "They might have been in captivity for years already, if they were able to survive that long. Some have been hatched and raised in private zoos. Releasing them back into Sorna's population would also introduce a ton of problems."</p>
<p>"Which is why we won't do that, Owen." She was no in park management mode. "We both know that when reintroducing individuals from a captive population to the wild, there is a risk that they have adapted to captivity. Such animals show reduced stress tolerance, increased tameness, and loss of local adaptations. There was never any discussion about returning them to their original habitat."</p>
<p>"I hope you don't plan to have them mingle with the park's population either."</p>
<p>"Of course not. There have been extensive talks with reintroduction specialists and they all agree that it would be dangerous and probably wouldn't end well for the rescues. That is the reason why the habitats of Quarantine Two are going to take over a large area on the east side of the island."</p>
<p>She switched on her computer and projected the plans onto the wall behind her.</p>
<p>Owen studied the map. Quarantine Two would stretch from the border of the restricted area past the Cretaceous Cruise and encompass the historic t-rex paddock. He could see the planned security perimeter, how there were no roads leading from the original park toward the new enclosure, aside from the main ones, how the monorail didn't even get close. Within Two's area, which was located in Section 6, were different-sized habitats for various species.</p>
<p>Carter was already typing on his tablet, brows furrowed, and he nodded. "Send me the data for review," he said, all-business. "I want to talk to the engineer in charge of perimeter fencing and security. My teams will have a look at safety precautions, security, camera placement and everything else. I'll set up a team lead in charge of Q2. They will be the point of contact between me and project management. I'll have the final say in safety measure, Claire." Gray eyes, all serious and no-nonsense, met hers. "We're not cutting corners and there won't be outsiders traipsing around the compound without security clearance."</p>
<p>Claire nodded. "Of course. Construction won't impede park procedures. There will be no interruption of visitors and the site is out of the public's eye," she told them.</p>
<p>"And we already have the ground work done," Owen said. "Water, electricity, sewer."</p>
<p>"Yes. Everything will be checked and upgraded, of course, but the basics have been done. We won't have rescues coming in before the whole facility hasn't been triple-checked and cleared."</p>
<p>Owen looked at the map again, then at the smaller images of the computer-rendered Q2 as perceived by the architects. The habitats looked no different from the various attractions they already had, except that there were no visitor pathways. It was only for personnel.</p>
<p>"Are there any plans for special guests or specialized visitor badges?"</p>
<p>"No, but I can't say it wouldn't be possible." Claire folded her hands on the desk top.</p>
<p>Owen expelled a breath, then shrugged. "Alright."</p>
<p>Carter shot him a small smile, clearly aware of his misgivings about tourists traipsing around a reserve for abused animals and gawking at them.</p>
<p>"What will happen," Claire added, "is a live feed from the habitats, as well as news updates including pictures of the rescues. The live feed will run through security first," she told Dan, meeting his stern expression with a small smile. "There will be a delay by a minute, to enable security to determine if the images should be seen by the public. We will also monitor viewer access."</p>
<p>"With the possibility to shut down a camera and claim technical difficulties," Owen translated.</p>
<p>Her expression said it all. It was a normal feature and had already been in use all over the park.</p>
<p>"I will keep both of you updated. Staff will be informed of the plans with a park-wide memo."</p>
<p>Carter nodded briskly. "Thank you." He was already off to do whatever needed to be done, leaving Owen with Claire.</p>
<p>"I see you finally decided to take the next step," she said, park management now replaced by his friend.</p>
<p>Owen stared at her. "Uh, what?"</p>
<p>"You and Carter. I can see it in your eyes, Owen, in your whole bearing. You're so much more relaxed and at ease. I've noticed it for a while now."</p>
<p>"You are watching me?" he asked, letting a little playfulness bleed into his voice.</p>
<p>There was an almost impish little smile. "Yes, actually, I did. It was hard not to notice the tension and now the happiness. So, my guess is: you finally accepted what instinct had been telling you."</p>
<p>He pushed his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. Kinda. It was… well, Dan actually had some very sound counter-arguments. Every damn single time."</p>
<p>"Good for him. And you. And I'm happy for you, Owen." She suddenly stepped forward and hugged the surprised man. "Very happy." She kissed his cheek. "I would say 'I told you so', but I guess you've been hearing that a lot lately."</p>
<p>He grimaced. "I guess."</p>
<p>She chuckled. "Can I invite you for some early lunch?"</p>
<p>"Claire Dearing, don't tell me you have room in your tight schedule for me!" he exclaimed with mock surprise.</p>
<p>Claire swatted his arm and walked past. Owen followed, laughing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carter's schedule was filled to the brim and Owen didn't expect to see him for a while, which was the absolute correct assumption.</p>
<p>He took the pack for an evening run to burn off some energy. Owen added the cameras, as usual, the muzzles, and strapped Charlie into a new harness that enveloped her torso, not unlike a saddle without the seat. The harness was the base for a whole array of sensors that collected bio data from both the carrier, but also recorded specific data from animals in the vicinity. Themming's goal was to have one or two animals in each paddock that carried such a harness and would scan others in the herd.</p>
<p>Charlie tested her mobility, shifting, then looking at the harness with a dubious expression.</p>
<p>"It's just for test purposes," he told her, patting her side. "The moment you feel chafing or it slips, let me know."</p>
<p>She snorted an agreement.</p>
<p>All four were ready to go, to run, to stretch and feel the freedom of the restricted area. Their territory. Exhilaration raced through their veins and Owen felt it wash over him, sweep through his mind, launching a primal response even within him. He steadied himself, taking control; of himself, of the pack, of the thrum of energy that surrounded them.</p>
<p>No words were spoken, the raptors reacting to his hand signals and the presence of their alpha within the pack bond as they left to take known routes to the restricted area. Nostrils blew open, taking in the scent of the warm air. This was their element. They could run, were free, had no boundaries.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They returned late, actually way past midnight and with maybe an hour left until sunrise. The sun had not yet risen over the horizon, but the first faint hints were creeping through the dusky black of imminent dawn. The pack was pleasantly tired. Owen checked Charlie's skin, from belly to sides to back, finding no bruises or sores. He gave her a little scratch.</p>
<p>"Good girl," he murmured. Charlie nuzzled against him, pleased, looking forward to sleeping.</p>
<p>"We all do," he told her and sent her off to the stables.</p>
<p>Echo was already inside, curled up, and Delta was sniffing around the other corner, finally deciding on a place. Blue watched from the outside, snorting when Charlie was finally also inside.</p>
<p>Blue rubbed against him, using her full body, and he leaned into her, smiling. She hummed, enjoying the caresses and scratches, then joined the rest of the pack.</p>
<p>Owen fell into his own bed not much later and dropped off into sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nothing had changed and still so much had forever. And completely. Things were moving. Not too fast, but also not glacially slow. It had been a month since they had started their new relationship, the intimacy still a marvel for Owen. He liked the way it progressed, without pressure, without demands, just adjusting to each other's pace and learning preferences.</p>
<p>He knew a lot about Dan Carter, had known it already, because they had talked when they spent their evenings or mornings together, when it was just the two of them and the pack in the restricted area. And that had been before becoming an item, before Owen had taken the final step over this invisible threshold and accepted that yes, he wanted this man by his side. And in his bed. For the rest of his life.</p>
<p>Now he was learning yet more about the man who was the alpha mate to the pack. And Owen found himself talking about so much he hadn't revealed to another person outside his close family. Well, and Alan Grant, who was family to him in so many ways.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aside from Claire, no one else knew what had happened between the two men. Owen didn't really want to keep it a permanent secret, but he also didn't want to spread the news oh-so casually. Carter followed his lead, giving him the room and the time to work with this his own way.</p>
<p>Still, despite trying to be his old self, trying not to show he was in a relationship with the park's chief of security, Laurel took one look at Owen when he dropped by the T-Rex Kingdom and have a truly shit-eating grin appear on her lips. She had been taking a few days of vacation, flying home to her family, and had been back for just three days.</p>
<p>"Owen Grady!" she chortled. "You finally said yes!"</p>
<p>He met her bright expression with one of polite distance.</p>
<p>"Oh, don't give me that look!" she continued. "You and Carter! Finally!"</p>
<p>"What gives you that idea?" He raised his eyebrows.</p>
<p>Her grin was unrepentant. "I know. You're different."</p>
<p>"I didn't think your talent ran that way."</p>
<p>"Aha! I knew it!"</p>
<p>Owen rolled his eyes, aware just how beautifully he had maneuvered himself into that small trap.</p>
<p>"You're positively glowing with it!" she crowed. "Our elusive raptor whisperer is finally of the market!"</p>
<p>"Laurel…"</p>
<p>"And I just know who the lucky guy is!"</p>
<p>He leaned against the wall, right next to the window that allowed handlers to view the rex enclosure without having to enter the tourist areas. Rexy Sue was somewhere deep within the trees and he felt her sharp steel ball of a mind. She was always curious when he was around, trying to poke and prod at him as she did with her own handlers, but Owen wouldn't react to her.</p>
<p>Since his accidental fracture there had been various instances when she had approached, almost like trying to communicate with him, and in one instance she had. Since then there had been staring contests and her repeated provocation, but nothing else. The pack despised her attempts and Blue in particular reverted to rather aggressive behavior.</p>
<p>Right now she was absolutely disinterested in showing herself or mentally getting closer.</p>
<p>Laurel tilted her head. "So…?" she prompted.</p>
<p>"Nothing."</p>
<p>"Oh, please! This is something, Owen! Something big! Carter's the alpha mate and equal to you now!"</p>
<p>"What the…?" He stopped and fought back his annoyance.</p>
<p>A new smile stole over her lips, the teasing light changing into a more serious but warm expression. "This is an island, Owen Grady. A literal island in so many ways. The whole place is like a living organism, a tight-knit community with dozens of bigger and smaller circles of friends and colleagues. So yes, word travels. It's no secret that you have liked Carter for quite a while. He's also the only guy I know who voluntarily hung around your place and also went on patrols with the whole pack running free and probably without a muzzle. And not just patrol. The two of you took off camping in the restricted area more than once. Who in his right mind wants to have four wild raptors on a camping trip with him? So yes, suspicions ran wild. I'm glad to see it paid off. The pack accepted him long before you finally did."</p>
<p>"I guess," he murmured, eyes on the trees behind the glass.</p>
<p>Laurel joined him and gave him a gentle elbow in the ribs. "He's a good guy and good for you."</p>
<p>He made a non-committal sound.</p>
<p>"You're my friend and as your friend I'm glad you finally figured it out. You deserve it. Both of you. What changed your mind about letting him close?" she wanted to know, no laughter, no teasing, just serious Laurel Shepperd.</p>
<p>Owen shrugged one-sided. "Small things. Lots of things. I… I wasn't sure I wanted to risk… our friendship. Or the stability and balance within the pack."</p>
<p>"Understandable. Though from what I see, those four ladies are quite balanced within their alpha and the pack bond."</p>
<p>"But what if it goes wrong?"</p>
<p>"You mean a one_night stand, some fun between the sheets, and Carter dumps you like a hot potato?"</p>
<p>He had to laugh a little. "Yeah, that."</p>
<p>"First of all," she started to tick off her fingers, "how long have you known the guy? Carter's a lot, but he's not that shallow. Second, he's known you for years now. Like I said, the most patient man in the world. Third, the pack likes him. You'd have known if they didn't like him. And last but not least, do you really think you'd go for just a little bit of fun, Grady? That's not who you are. You're a responsible, very much down to earth human being who knows his responsibilities."</p>
<p>She was right. Oh so right.</p>
<p>"Let me guess, Carter kicked you into considering the logical next step and your pack ganged up on you?"</p>
<p>Grady snorted. "Yeah."</p>
<p>Laurel's mouth crinkled into a tiny smile. "Some people need a rather big kick in the butt and clues the size of a Vegas neon light to see it."</p>
<p>"I did see it," he protested.</p>
<p>"And you were too hung up on too much stuff to just act. Sounds about right. You go up against animal traffickers and sociopathic dinosaurs, but the moment it's your private life you stop listening to your instincts."</p>
<p>"You sound like Claire."</p>
<p>"A wise woman indeed, if I ever met one. Like all of us. And Josh."</p>
<p>Owen groaned. "The betting pool."</p>
<p>"Yep." She popped the 'p'.</p>
<p>He didn't ask who had won. He didn't want to know.</p>
<p>"Do I have to ask if he's treating you well?"</p>
<p>That caught him completely out of the left field. Owen stared at his friend, flabbergasted.</p>
<p>"Laurel," he warned.</p>
<p>She waved him off. Out of the enclosure the rumble of the approaching rex could be heard. Laurel looked past him, concentrating on her charge instead of Owen all of a sudden and Owen felt Rexy Sue's probing mind. Laurel suddenly huffed a little sigh of amusement.</p>
<p>"She's grumpy today. I think she hated the meds we hid in her latest side of goat. She's on her diet week on top of that."</p>
<p>"That would explain the growly mood."</p>
<p>The massive rex moved out of the trees, rumbling, growling, looking less than pleased. She regarded the two humans on the other side of the view screen with disdain. Owen sensed her prickly mood like a distant hum.</p>
<p>"She won't be much of a people pleaser today," Laurel sighed and shook her head. "Josh won't have fun either. She's in one of her moods and no matter what we do, she'll be off."</p>
<p>Owen watched her, studied he play of muscle under scarred skin. She carried her life on that skin. Twenty-five years. She was he oldest dinosaur in the park and to walk this earth.</p>
<p>The rex snorted, studying them as much as they studied her, then she rumbled, shaking her head. She inspected the empty feeding station, looking rather miffed, and walked off again.</p>
<p>Laurel grimaced. "She'll be unbearable for a while."</p>
<p>Her phone went off and she took the call, which had Owen grab this chance to get out of the investigation of his new love life. She waved at him, clearly distracted by whoever was calling, but he doubted she would let the topic drop already. This would pop up again. And knowing the friends he had, Owen was quite sure everyone would know about the change of relationship status quite soon, if they didn't know already.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There were no secret meetings in quiet corners or empty rooms to make out. Owen wasn't a hormone-driven teenager, even though he liked touching and kissing Dan. A lot. A whole lot. So much that the pack had been given quite a show a few times.</p>
<p>Not that Carter had stopped him, which he could have, but he was just as invested and enthusiastic, though there had been this amusingly embarrassed moment when they had finally come up for air, Owen pushed against the side of the paddock bars, and four pairs of reptilian eyes had watched them.</p>
<p>Owen had been very proud of his ability to make Carter lose enough braincells to forget where he was when he was trying to give Grady a tonsillectomy.</p>
<p>When he was on duty, Carter was his professional self, as not otherwise expected. At least most of the time. Well, except for once. There had been a rather heated kissing session that had Owen push a knee between Carter's legs and enjoy the other man's breath catching abruptly. And yes, it had ended with a quick, rather hot release. It had all happened within the privacy of Carter's office. His locked office. After shift end.</p>
<p>So yes, sex happened.</p>
<p>Lots of it. In different ways. Some quite inventive. Some quick and dirty. And then there was the blow job in the old visitor center in the restricted area that had Owen’s mind melt and that had turned him into a puddle. It didn't help that Dan liked to tease, liked to push into him with two fingers and add to the sensations. It had been as far as either man had gone in that regard. Owen had liked to reciprocate and Carter had never voiced his displeasure.</p>
<p>But he wanted more. He wanted so much more. He was ready for more.</p>
<p>He wrapped his arms around the muscular frame, drawing his partner closer, needing him physically closer. The kisses grew in intensity and Owen nipped at Dan’s jaw, then his throat, trailing a path down to the collar bone. A soft exhalation answered him, almost a moan.</p>
<p>"Dan," he said, still tingly from coming, eyes boring into pale gray.</p>
<p>Carter regarded him, a slow understanding dawning on those chiseled features. A lot was said at the moment, just not in any words.</p>
<p>"Sure?" he whispered.</p>
<p>"More than that."</p>
<p>He wanted this man. He didn’t think there was a time he hadn’t wanted him deep down on that primal, carnal level.</p>
<p>The kiss started out slow, then grew more, and there was suddenly no more doubt or hesitancy. That the blond came prepared for all eventualities didn't come as a surprise, though Owen still laughed and shook his head.</p>
<p>"Complaints?" Carter asked.</p>
<p>"Far from," he replied, pulling him into another kiss.</p>
<p> Dan was meticulous in his preparations and Owen inhaled sharply when they slid together.</p>
<p>"Too much?" Carter rumbled, sounding a little strained, blanketing his back and mouthing against his neck.</p>
<p>"No. No." He pushed back, feeling full but oh so wonderful. "Move. Just move. Not my first time."</p>
<p>It really wasn't, but it was the first time after linking to a pack of velociraptors, realizing his full potential, and the first time with the only other human who was fully part of the pack.</p>
<p>So Dan moved.</p>
<p>It was delicious. It was incredible. It sparked something inside Owen that had him push back, demanding, controlling the encounter while also giving in to the powerful presence.  There was pleasure and almost primal lust. The need to feel it. The hunger for this man.</p>
<p>Harsh breaths could be heard, soft encouragements, groans of need and hunger and lust.</p>
<p>
  <i>Mine.</i>
</p>
<p>Maybe he said it out loud. Maybe it was just in his head. Dan was his. He had wanted this, this man, this moment, so very badly, it launched such fierce possessiveness that it was no longer just human.</p>
<p>It was over too soon, left him shaking on a level that wasn't physical. He kissed Dan hard and like a claim, staring at the man with such intensity, it should have him running.</p>
<p>He didn't run.</p>
<p>The words between them remained unspoken.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen had no idea how the pack viewed their 'mating', but probably as just that. The four ladies in question were suspiciously absent, hunting birds and monkeys, stalking pigs or chickens, or even each other. There hadn't been a peep of any of them, not even Blue. It was weird but not disconcerting to hear nothing but their presence.</p>
<p>They were alone in the ancient building that Owen had more or less cleaned up and restored in the last years. It was like a second home, though with a lot less amenities. He had done his best to turn it into a little base where he stored materials, food and tools. He had a make-shift cot with a decent mattress and had installed a solar-powered generator. The area he had deigned secure was also big enough for the pack to curl up in case of a bad weather front.</p>
<p>"I hope you have some kind of shower setup in here," Dan rumbled as they lay together in the aftermath, sticky, hot, breathing hard. "Or know a lake without freshwater predators or whatever else swims around in them."</p>
<p>Owen laughed, feeling light and so at ease, so happy. Something deep inside him had unraveled and was basking in the high he felt, something</p>
<p>From outside, familiar calls could be heard. One was the cry of a successful hunt.</p>
<p>"I guess they know what happened?" Dan asked lazily.</p>
<p>Somehow there was no embarrassment, but then again, yes, there was. "Well, it's not like I can shield myself completely. There's the natural stuff and there's fully closing myself off, which is impossible. They can some feedback every time."</p>
<p>"This time was different."</p>
<p>He met the gray eyes, saw something deeper in there, something powerful. It curled in his stomach. Warm and longing and intense.</p>
<p>"It was," he murmured. "Strong emotions leak."</p>
<p>Carter sat up, utterly naked, and Owen enjoyed the view. He always did. Tanned skin stretched over hard muscles, dotted by a few old scars. He had never asked and might never, unless Carter did, but Owen had seen his share of shot wounds. Testimony of his past. </p>
<p>Dan looked like he regretted nothing at all. The blond leaned over him, kissing Owen, smirking as more barks and calls could be heard.</p>
<p>"Strong emotions?" he repeated softly, running a hand over Owen's warm, naked skin.</p>
<p>The touch was real, grounding. It was deeper than skin on skin. It seeped into his very cells and was more than any other human being could give him.</p>
<p>Owen felt something inside him of him twist with longing. What he felt, what was between them, wasn't purely sexual.</p>
<p>Yes, sex was part of their relationship. But this… this was more. So much more.</p>
<p>"Strong emotions," he echoed.</p>
<p>Dan just looked at him with those pale gray eyes. The smile was knowing, showing so much more than what was being said. Owen reached up and cupped the clean-shaven face, holding the other man's gaze, then drew him down. He kissed the inviting lips, tongues lazily playing with each other.</p>
<p>“Nice,” he mumbled, nipping at the lower lip, teething it ever-so gently.</p>
<p>Dan rumbled in agreement.</p>
<p>Owen's growling stomach had Carter laugh against his lips. “Hungry?” he asked, grinning.</p>
<p>“What gave it away?”</p>
<p>“How about breakfast?”</p>
<p>“Make it a late lunch and you’re on.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen really did have a small shower, which was a rainwater collection tank with a filter system and solar-powered heating. They had MREs, but a very tasty variant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>All four raptors returned throughout the early afternoon, after both men had showered and eaten. There had been successful hunting and had some exciting chases, Owen told Carter. Monkeys were fast and devious, and some of the older ones had learned to watch out for the raptors when they were around.</p>
<p>But all were always fast enough. Echo had been rather smug and Charlie had managed to snack on two birds. Owen grinned as they excitedly scuffled amongst themselves.</p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah, big hunters, alright!" he shouted. "Cut it out! Go and run off that energy if you haven't had enough."</p>
<p>There was a prickle at the back of his neck, a warning, and even though it was a warning, Dan knew it was already too late. Well, it would be too late if he was prey and being hunted.</p>
<p>At a soft chuffing sound from behind him, Dan glanced over his shoulder. Yellow eyes met gray.</p>
<p>Blue's expression was very human, very tell-tale, actually as smug as Carter had looked hours earlier.</p>
<p>He breathed calmly, normally, felt none of the terror he probably should. Instead he was almost dispassionate.</p>
<p>She snorted.</p>
<p>"Not a word," he muttered.</p>
<p>That got him a little chitter, then she walked off.</p>
<p>Right.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A rain shower surprised them the next morning. Owen and Dan sought out shelter while the raptors couldn't care less whether or not they got wet. They watched for ten minutes as the rain shower came down, the noise of rushing water, the humming drum against rock and leaves, soothing, almost meditative.</p>
<p>Owen partially closed his eyes, senses sliding along the connection to Blue. She was close by, alert for anything that might be a threat for them. Not much could threaten a raptor; four were a formidable force that even a t-rex would evaluate first.</p>
<p><i>Nothing here</i>, she murmured.</p>
<p>Just small wildlife. Charlie scented a flock of chickens near-by, but she wasn't hungry and hunting in the rain wasn't fun.</p>
<p>The shower was over after no more than fifteen minutes and they were on their way again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Guys, I'm so sorry! Life is keeping me busy! I changed departments within my company and I'm busy cramming so much new knowledge into my head, it's absolutely crazy!</p>
<p>New chapter is a bit short, but I hope you enjoy it anyway...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Carter knew that he had become part of Owen's world, the raptor pack, everything, without being talented and long before they had taken the latest step of a very physical relationship. No one could be triggered into developing abilities, even when the partner was a preternatural. Nor would having sex with a very talented person do the trick. Owen couldn't mirror his own abilities with Dan and he absolutely couldn't turn a non-preter into one. So Dan Carter was still himself. Absolutely untalented, not a shred of ability, and he would never have it.</p>
<p>And no, Owen had once told him as they enjoyed a night together, he couldn't read Carter's mind. Not even a whisper of his thoughts. There was no transfer of emotions, any kind of echo that wasn't from Owen himself or the pack, and he couldn't project his thoughts into Dan's mind.</p>
<p>It was rather a relief.</p>
<p>They never really talked about what else it meant, though. The rest, everything else aside from the physical. This emotional connection, the one that had formed between the pack and Carter before things had gotten even more intense. No, they never really discussed it.</p>
<p>Not in words anyway.</p>
<p>Just with gestures. In the way Owen brushed up against Carter when it was just them with the pack, how he was close without actually touching. And how intimacy was something that happened on more than just a physical level. It was this connection that was more than a mere relationship, but it wasn't empathy either.</p>
<p>Owen sometimes wondered just how they could work, how they were both alphas and neither was truly submissive or dominant. Carter was the alpha mate; the pack deferred to him. They listened to his voice, followed small gestures, and they watched his body language. Owen had never seen him falter, had never seen him back down, even in the face of claws and teeth, and it was something the girls respected. Dan never commented on it, took it in a flow, was his easy, laid-back self. He acted as he had before.</p>
<p>Maybe that was the secret, because nothing had fundamentally changed. Dan had been there before and he was still the same guy.</p>
<p>Owen was quite invested in this relationship, in what it had changed for him – a man who had had such a long run without a serious or even non-serious relationship, it was no longer funny. He knew this hadn't come out of desperation and simple lust, that Dan Carter was perfect, that he fit, that he belonged.</p>
<p>He had been vetted, accepted and then made into pack. The raptors had a connection to him, a relationship that hadn't come from raising them, living with them, or being able to touch their minds. Carter had become the only other human so fully integrated in the pack mind, absolutely pack, because Owen Grady had woven his presence into the bond.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carter was out on a run, using his after-hours free time to get some distance running in. Normally he would use the gym's treadmill, followed by weights or a few rounds of martial arts with one of the trainers or one of his men. All troopers had free access to the various gams on the island, be it the hotels, the recreational area or their employee facilities. Then there were the approved trails that everyone could use for running, walking or hiking.</p>
<p>One trail looped around various enclosures, passing by the attractions on an Off The Beaten Path track that was rarely if ever used by most tourists. First time visitors always stuck to the main routes, tried to get it all in within the few days of their vacation package. Those who returned for a second, third or fourth visit would try out different routes. Dan had run into two of them on the track just once in all his time running there, so it was really off the beaten path.</p>
<p>This morning he had decided to take advantage of the absolute quiet of no visitors to make his rounds at the mosa lagoon. All shops were closed, the cleaning crews were just getting started, and even the early pass VIPs wouldn't be allowed to enter for another two hours. Of course, Carter knew the figures for today and except for a handful of really early risers, no one had logged time slots for early entry.</p>
<p>He was alone.</p>
<p>Moving almost on automatic, the sounds of birds and the rumbles or calls of the dinosaurs everywhere. It was peaceful, relaxing, and really quite nice to have this vast place seemingly to himself.</p>
<p>It was an illusion, sure, but it didn't bother him to know cameras tracked his progress. He passed by the first cleaners or some of his troopers, and very rarely saw one of the animal caretakers.</p>
<p>Carter finished his run as he always did on Main Street where one of the coffee shops was open for employees only, handing out coffee, tea, juices and water. Some lucky souls managed to get a bagel or muffin, too.</p>
<p>"'Morning!"</p>
<p>She had been hard to miss, especially with barely anyone else around, and Dan schooled his features as Laurel Shepperd sauntered over to him. She looked as always bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and the way her eyes sparkled, he was immediately on guard.</p>
<p>"Ms Shepperd."</p>
<p>"Mr. Carter," she replied cheerfully and sat down at the table he had chosen without invitation, watching Carter with a shrewd expression.</p>
<p>He should have expected her, probably had, though not that early in his and Owen's new relationship. And not that early in the morning. She probably had the early shift in the Kingdom.</p>
<p>Laurel was very perceptive and it wasn't because she was a preter like many of the caretakers. She had friends in all Sectors, in all positions. She was like a switchboard operator, knew where to go get information, and it would have been only a matter of time.</p>
<p>Then again, she was also one of Owen's best friends, part of the tight circle he trusted. Laurel was the person who would kill for you and, if not do the deed herself, knew where to hide the body. She and her best friend Josh. Carter had no idea what their dynamic was, just that they were incredibly close but not romantically involved.</p>
<p>"Anything I can help you with?" he asked neutrally.</p>
<p>"Not really."</p>
<p>"So you're here for no reason?"</p>
<p>"I'm here for Erica's amazing coffee and to hopefully get some of her breakfast multi-grains." She raised her thermos. "They're still in the oven and I'll camp out until she's done. Those go like crazy. I see you put in some extra mileage. Keeping in shape."</p>
<p>She smiled brightly and winked. Their relationship was one of pulling hair and calling each other names, though in their case it was their last names. Laurel held the same disregard for authority as Owen portrayed sometimes, but she was an ace keeper, protective of her charge, which was an insanely dangerous predator that had been around since the first park. She had a backbone made of steel and a mind to complement it. You needed all that to last as long as she had in the t-rex enclosure.</p>
<p>"Now that I saw you're here, I thought I'd spend some time with my favorite chief of security, see how you are, what's up, the likes," she added.</p>
<p>He raised an eyebrows. "How I am?" he echoed.</p>
<p>"Yep." She still smiled cheerfully.</p>
<p>Okay, he was going to play. "I'm quite well, Ms. Shepperd. Thank you for asking. How are you this fine morning?"</p>
<p>She chuckled. "Well, you hear things. Lots of things."</p>
<p>"I suspect you do," he replied neutrally.</p>
<p>"Some very interesting stuff, too. Like you and Owen."</p>
<p>He refused to be baited. Instead, Carter just raised his eyebrows and sipped at his water.</p>
<p>"And we all know it's not just a rumor. Took our resident raptor whisperer long enough to get with the program. You must be the most patient man in history, Dan."</p>
<p>"Part and parcel of working in this place." Still not falling for the bait.</p>
<p>She grinned. "And you're so funny."</p>
<p>"Since you know so much already, why interrogate me?" he wanted to know, all conversational and false laid-back ease.</p>
<p>"I'm not interrogating you. Just making friendly conversation. Owen's our friend and he's been through some really rough patches. We've all been there. You've been there."</p>
<p>"Quite."</p>
<p>"So?" she prompted.</p>
<p>"So?" he echoed.</p>
<p>Laurel rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>He folded his hands, met her eyes. "It seems to me that you already know a lot, Ms. Shepperd. In my past experience you have either talked to Mr. Grady by now or you drew your own conclusions. You are a sharp mind."</p>
<p>"I like men who compliment me," she chuckled.</p>
<p>"So you talked to Owen."</p>
<p>She laughed. "You're good, Carter."</p>
<p>"It's my job to be good at this, Ms. Shepperd."</p>
<p>A devilish smile graced her lips. "And you must freaking awesome to get Owen to cave. That man is the most stubborn creature I know, and I'm working with nine tons of attitude on a daily basis."</p>
<p>"Owen's friends are a curious bunch when it comes to his private life."</p>
<p>"That's what friends are for. We all knew he had the hots for you."</p>
<p>Carter's brows lowered over slightly narrowed eyes.</p>
<p>"And that he would never act on it because he was worried about the girls and what it would change."</p>
<p>“Nothing has changed.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I think it has. A lot has. For him, for you, for the pack.”</p>
<p>He gave her a bland look.</p>
<p>"Oh please!" Laurel waved him off. “You and Owen? Not big news. Really. Not the first couple here at the park. The raptor trainer and the chief of security? Nah, not really that much of a revelation either. There was a lot more hoopla about Valerie and Kosta."</p>
<p>He scowled, not aware of who those two names belonged to.</p>
<p>"Hotel trainee and one of Cruise operators,” Laurel added at his blank expression, which she interpreted correctly. “He was old enough to be her dad! No one knew what she saw in him either. It sorted itself out quickly enough, but hey, it had for some lively discussions."</p>
<p>"I bet," he said dryly.</p>
<p>“Now there’s you and the single dad with the four well-behaved but rather ferociously protective girls.”</p>
<p>He blinked slowly. Laurel smiled brightly in response.</p>
<p>"Too bad you're off the market, though. Some people will be heart-broken."</p>
<p>The scowl deepened.</p>
<p>"You're aware that you are not too bad to look at, right?" She ran expert eyes over him, teasingly lingering on his chest and arms.</p>
<p>Dan leaned back, arms lightly crossed in front of his chest. "Thanks, I think?"</p>
<p>Laurel's expression grew more serious, harder now. "This isn’t a fling, right?"</p>
<p>"That's nothing you should concern yourself with."</p>
<p>"Oh, it does concern me. All of us, actually. I've known that guy for years, Carter. I know he hasn't even so much as dated once after his break-up with Claire. Not even a late night beer. Not even light flirting when others heaped it on him. Owen's not dense or stupid in romantic matters."</p>
<p>He tilted his head a little, intrigued by Laurel's tone of voice, her rather protective stance.</p>
<p>"Well, not as dense as he was with you, apparently. He simply ignores it all to a point where he doesn't pick up on some bad flirty moves or blatant come-ons. While I understand it very much, on a very personal level," she went on, voice absolutely without a shred of humor, "I know it wasn't because of the break-up. He has stuff to consider. Like the pack. The girls always came first. All of us keepers love our charges and we protect them, care about them, worry and mourn, but Owen's a class of his own. Now there's you. You’re pack," she stated to his surprise. "You've become pack a while ago."</p>
<p>Carter narrowed his eyes, arms unfolding as his spine straightened.</p>
<p>"Oh please," she waved him off. "This isn't just the grapevine. The two of you have been on restricted area outings. Setting up those cameras, chasing trespassers, rescuing our favorite alpha. Who in his right mind goes camping with raptors, aside from Grady? I like Rexy Sue just fine where she is. I love her to pieces, but you don’t see me taking her out on a run. And even if I had Owen’s talent, I wouldn’t ask anyone into the enclosure with me.”</p>
<p>“Good to know,” Carter said levelly. “Incident reports like that are always a headache. Especially the ones that contain the name Owen Grady.”</p>
<p>Laurel smiled. “I bet. But he’s special. Always has been and you know it. You set up the interspecies patrols. You actually saved the guy by walking into the belly of a ship filled with raptors, carrying him out!"</p>
<p>"I had a team with me."</p>
<p>She snorted. "Pull the other one, Carter. They know you. They know what you mean to Owen. And while many of us didn't really notice how he looked at you sometimes, someone did."</p>
<p>He twitched an eyebrow. She smirked.</p>
<p>"I wish it had been me, but to my eternal shame I bow to a much better observer. Josh caught on to it."</p>
<p>The man who was powerful enough to withstand a t-rex's mind trying to break through his shields, who was so accomplished at sliding out of one's perception and into the background. Laurel's trainer partner and partner-in-crime. Yes, it made sense.</p>
<p>"He also called Katashi and Serena, by the way. Just so you know. Josh is just that good."</p>
<p>Carter opened his mouth, then shut it again. "I'd appreciate some privacy, Ms. Shepperd. What my men do their off time is none of my business. Or yours."</p>
<p>Her smile was suddenly warm and disarming. "You’re more than just an ally, Carter. You’re the mate in their eyes.”</p>
<p>“They’re asexual.”</p>
<p>“What books did you read, Mr. Chief of Security? They might not be able to reproduce, but they understand hierarchy, pairs and mates. Having a pair lead isn’t unusual with those packs we have here.”</p>
<p>“They are all female.”</p>
<p>"We all know a lot of stuff was spliced into their genes and who doesn't know about the history of this place? Masrani Global might have taken precautions, but look at Sorna. Males and females. You can make them in test tubes, but nature has different plans." Another wave of the hand. “But that's not the point. Those four ladies are connected to a human brain. They understand.” An unholy grin stole over her lips. “And they might have been at the receiving end of all the sexy times.”</p>
<p>Carter’s stoic façade didn’t crack. He knew quite well that they had sometimes caught a lot more than just echoes. He had stopped thinking about it, being embarrassed about it.</p>
<p>“But jokes aside, you are Owen’s partner. Pack hierarchy sees you as an equal to the alpha. Blue is the pack leader when Owen's not around, but she relinquishes that control to him. I suspect you are able to command them, too. You don’t share preter ability, but you are one of them now. And you're good for him."</p>
<p>"So the shovel talk is what? Seal of approval?"</p>
<p>"You'd know shovel talk if I gave it to you. But yes. We approve. You're a good guy, Dan."</p>
<p>He blinked. "Well, thank you… Laurel."</p>
<p>"If anyone would do the shovel talk, it's probably one of the pack. Or all. I think Blue would give you a stern talking to if she could. Maybe she has." She looked at her wristwatch and faked surprise. "Whoops, so late already. Gotta go." He was given a wink. "See you later, Carter. Nice talking to you. Say hello to your better half."</p>
<p>He only gave her a nod, then watched as the t-rex keeper pop into the coffee shop to get her multi-grains. She disappeared down one of the paths, bag in hand with her loot not much later. Carter really liked her. Owen had very good friends. Loyal friends. Not to mention gutsy friends who really looked out for him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He got a text from her a few minutes later. Dan read over it, then started to laugh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen stared at him, mouth opening, then closing again, when Carter told him about his encounter with the t-rex handler.</p>
<p>"She… what?"</p>
<p>"More or less straight out told me that everyone knows I'm the alpha mate in a pack of raptors now. She thankfully refrained to ask about details concerning what she calls 'sexy times'. There was some hidden shovel talk, no matter her denial."</p>
<p>Owen buried his face in his hands. "Laurel," he groaned.</p>
<p>"Your friends, Grady. Very concerned and protective friends."</p>
<p>"Well, yours, too," he argued.</p>
<p>"She also sent me this."</p>
<p>He gave his cell to Owen. The man looked like he wanted to bang his head against the next hard surface. "Really?!" he exclaimed.</p>
<p>
  <i>'FIY, Gregory won the bet. He hit closest to the actual date'.</i>
</p>
<p>"Date? What date? How do they know about any kind of date?" he demanded, sounding almost desperate. "And just how many of them were in on this?!"</p>
<p>Dan shrugged. "Beats me. I didn't keep tabs on our so-called dates." He looked rather amused. "Or dates on a calendar and what might have happened on those days that made Mr. Tomasz win a betting pool. And she didn't ask me about it. If I didn't know any better I'd say one of your girls gave us away. But I do know better."</p>
<p>Another groan.</p>
<p>"If I had had to bet on a winner, I'd have put my money on Dearing. A close runner-up would have been one of your friends. I'm surprised it wasn't Ms. Shepperd." Dan shrugged. "She has that big sister vibe going that is kind of scary."</p>
<p>"You're scared of Laurel?" Owen laughed.</p>
<p>Blond eyebrows rose pointedly. Yeah, well…</p>
<p>Owen sighed and shook his head. "There is no privacy in this place."</p>
<p>"Oh, there's plenty. At least for the bits I really don't want anyone in on." Dan winked.</p>
<p>Owen chuckled. He leaned over and kissed him, just lips brushing over lips.</p>
<p>"You have nosy friends," Carter murmured.</p>
<p>"I noticed. But I like them."</p>
<p>"Hm. Some are as crazy as you. Ms. Shepperd comes to mind again."</p>
<p>"You have to be a little bit crazy to work here. And more than a little to handle a t-rex like Rexy Sue."</p>
<p>Dan kissed him again, enjoying the way Owen responded, how he pulled him closer.</p>
<p>"Plans?" he teased.</p>
<p> "Always."</p>
<p>"Hm, I can get on board with them."</p>
<p>"I thought you would."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Training exercises with select trooper teams were still on the agenda. There were frequent meetings, plans were made, obstacle courses set. Sometimes Owen would create his own little games for his ladies, sending them on hunts for a specific target, having them try and breach a perimeter to test security, right down to prowling the underground tunnels, tracking targets by scent or sound.</p><p>They delighted in such exercises, scoring successes and taking failures with grace. They learned from each time and adjusted their tactics, much to the terror and delight of those partaking in these events. Lowery Cruthers, who had been among the first volunteers when Owen had started those games, still volunteered and still looked excited and scared in one. He also came up with interesting scents and liked to try and confuse the raptors. It had worked twice so far and while the man looked apprehensive that the girls were taking it personally, he was still excited.</p><p>"They aren't," Owen told him. "They don't take anything personally. It's training."</p><p>"Sure?"</p><p>He laughed. "Yes."</p><p>Raptors weren't vengeful nightmares of prehistoric times. They could hold a grudge, but it had to be a really bad encounter. Besting them in games wasn't such a reason.</p><p>So yes, Cruthers had become one of the main participants, happily volunteered, and he was getting used to being hunted by raptors. He would not look white as snow when one of them snuck up on him or surprised him as he played the 'trespasser', but at least he didn't faint. He had tried to recruit some of his fellow techs, but everyone just declared him a crazy nut and declined the offer.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"They know you," Owen addressed the troopers, voice firm and calm. "By scent, sound or sight. They can identify friendly allies, tell them apart from a true enemy. In these games you are both, depending on the roles you play. And they know this is a game, an exercise."</p><p>He had said those words a dozen times before. He could recite them in his sleep and he always knew what the expression in their faces was. Doubt. Apprehension. Skepticism. Disbelief. Slight fear. And incredulity.</p><p>"So if I hit them with a dummy projectile I won't get eaten?" Cooper, one of the newer troopers, asked.</p><p>Most of them were new. He had arrived just a month ago after going through rigorous mental and physical testing, and more than one interview with Carter and Hamada. Everyone else had been on the island for about three to six months, but none had partaken in the raptor training yet. The ten men and women facing him now were a mix of known faces, who had been participating in these exercises before, and the new ones.</p><p>"Nope. You're also not on the naughty list. You won't get pounced on the next time. They don't take revenge."</p><p>"Unless someone steals their eggs," another muttered.</p><p>Carter shot the man a warning look. Peter Bohill, he remembered. Owen's expression was neutral.</p><p>It wasn't a problem question. Some just read up on the dinosaurs, which was laudable. Owen rather preferred them reading than just assuming. And more than one had asked him some very interested and interesting questions about his girls. Sure, there had been the stupid ones, too, but Owen knew those stemmed from too many wild stories and hearsay.</p><p>"Yes, unless someone does something really stupid," he agreed with the man. "These exercises are to teach both sides to work with each other. And today you'll be hunting them."</p><p>Some looked excited, some a little apprehensive.</p><p>"It's the expert version of hide and seek," Carter said, voice giving no room for argument. "This is the perimeter," he continued, tapping on a key and the screen showed a large area. "The pack's already there. Your mission, and you have no choice but accept it, is to find them by 22:00 hours."</p><p>Everyone was looking at the area and checking their watches.</p><p>"Let's go, people!" Carter ordered.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Dan Carter was usually a watcher, but he didn't take himself out of every exercise completely. This time he had watched and evaluated, and he had been secretly amused by the raptors. Each of the girls was wearing a camera, just like his men. Carter could see whatever they were seeing, and what he saw were four raptors having a ton of fun. They were sneaking around, sometimes very close to the men and women looking for them. It was as always amazing and frightening in one to watch. The raptors were perfectly adapted to hunting unsuspecting prey, or even suspecting one. They were absolutely silent, blended into the forest, disappearing from sight, and they were a well-honed hunting team. The way they communicated, were aware of each other, was uncanny.</p><p>Charlie was the first to finally get caught. Van hit her with a paint pellet, which resulted in a screech of indignation.</p><p>Echo caught a graze, disappearing quickly, but a net gun had her down and bound seconds later.</p><p>There was low, chittering purr. Gentle, almost quizzical, and strangely calming. Dan turned his head and met a pair of reptilian eyes that should startle him more than they actually did. Well, he was barely startled at all.</p><p>"Delta," he acknowledged the lady who had snuck up on him.</p><p>It got him a low trill. The raptor sounded pleased that she had managed to get this close to Carter without him detecting her. Lithe, silent and deadly, a predator of immense deadliness.</p><p>"You know there is a camera on you that told me you were sneaking around, don't you?" he said wryly.</p><p>She chuffed.</p><p>Dan nodded to the right, making a quick sign.</p><p>"Go find Sergeant Koziol. Don't scare him. Just tagging."</p><p>She rumbled and flexed her fingers, sickle claw tapping twice.</p><p>"Delta, go," he added firmly. "You're not going to sit this one out."</p><p>She cocked her head, then snorted as if acknowledging the command.</p><p>And she did. Acknowledge it. Understand what he wanted and followed the order.</p><p>Dan lost barely a thought about it.</p><p>He interacted with them as if they were his troopers. Carter had quickly learned and adapted his commands when it came to the pack, using body language and verbal orders. Owen was a good teacher, as were the raptors themselves.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Owen and his pack came home in the early morning hours, a little before sunrise, though the sky was already turning lighter. He yawned as he locked the gates behind the pleasantly tired raptors, who were more than ready to curl up and sleep. Charlie still had a bright blue paint spot on her rump, which he would clean off later. Echo hadn't come out of getting netted any worse for wear. She and Charlie were bickering, with Delta snarling at them when the pair came too close, but it was nothing out of the ordinary.</p><p>"Okay, girls. Get some sleep."</p><p>Each brushed past him, getting last pats, and Blue nuzzled against his shoulder before she sought out her preferred sleeping area.</p><p>Grady was more than ready to get some shut-eye himself. Carter had joined the troopers for debriefing. He would catch some sleep at his own place and Owen was perfectly okay with it.</p><p>He yawned and stripped off his clothes, bee-lining for his bed. It had been a successful night.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>"Oh my god, that's disgusting!"</p><p>Owen hid his laughter behind his can of soda as Serena stared at Josh's creation.</p><p>It was Make Your Own Pizza Day, which was an unofficial as it was fun. Someone had started it a while ago and it had turned into a fun event with lots of food and some very interesting food combinations on pizza dough.</p><p>Like Josh's.</p><p>Laurel leaned over and inspected the conglomeration smothered in cheese. "Smells good," she announced.</p><p>Serena grimaced. "You have to say it. He's your partner."</p><p>It got her a cheeky grin and Laurel wrapped an arm around Josh's waist. "Best buds and partners in crime. I'd never tell my BFF that this looks like something one of the compys threw up."</p><p>"Cheese makes it all better," was Josh's reply and he bit into his creation.</p><p>Serena grimaced. "To each his own. Ewwww!" she added when Laurel took a huge bite out of the personal pizza. "You really have no borders, Shepperd!"</p><p>It was late in the afternoon, between shift changes at the park, and Owen had joined his friends after he had woken from last night's maneuvers. He had fed his girls, cleaned the stables, and gone over his emails. Pizza had sounded like a nice treat and the company was as always wonderful.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Not far away, Carter was watching, secretly amused. He had arrived a while ago, meeting Owen's eyes with a nod, just like he always did, without a shred of showing their more personal connection.</p><p>Not that every single one of his close circle of friends didn't already know about them. Some secrets were hard to keep in this place.</p><p>They didn't pine after one another, didn't look into the other's eyes with a love-sick sigh, and Dan didn't feel lost and alone when he didn't wake up with Owen next to him each morning.</p><p>They were different and still so much more intense. They came together naturally, shared living space and beds, and there was no pining involved. It didn't mean he couldn't appreciate the lean, muscular form, the grace and power inherit in this man, and enjoy just looking. Owen was rather nice to look at; very nice, really nice.</p><p>Dan had just come from a personal meeting with his second in command. After last night's maneuvers and training with the pack, Carter had slept almost until noon, then driven over to the control room to meet up with Hamada. The chief of security wasn't on duty today, due to the night shift, but he had wanted to talk to the man. While he was aware that Hamada, like any good team lead, knew that something had developed between his boss and the man in charge of the raptor enclosure, Carter had doubted anyone knew just how deep it was.</p><p>Private lives were private lives, but his life was now also of quite some interest to the pack and they had started to behave according to his new standing. His acknowledged standing. Carter was also in charge of security, on equal standing with Claire Dearing, and anything that could compromise him was of interest to Hamada.</p><p>He also didn't want rumors to start. Those took in a life of their own and tended to blow things out of proportion. Best to nip those in the butt. There was also an inherent danger in revealing their relationship at the most inopportune moment, endangering his men, or anyone at the park, because of the surprise reaction from his team.</p><p>Katashi had silently listened to his explanations, a briefing really, on the situation, detailing the consequences, the change in dynamics, as well as outlining contingency plans in case of certain events. His face had given nothing away, but Carter knew how to read his second in command.</p><p>He had kind of taken it in a stride.</p><p>"You are Grady's… partner?"</p><p>"Alpha pair in pack terms, yes."</p><p>"Equals."</p><p>Carter inclined his head. It was what made them so perfect together. He didn't endanger Owen's alpha status. Grady walked a fine line along a razor-sharp edge, and he did it without a safety net. He was human, but the raptors gave him something inhuman, something no one else could understand, but they didn't make him one of their own. His mind was firmly within the human realm. Carter was an alpha in his own right, never became prey, but he also never challenged the pack leader.</p><p>"Should we expect you to show up with one of the raptors as a personal bodyguard?"</p><p>"Hell, no." Dan laughed humorlessly. "Nothing changes in that regard. At all. Training sessions and mandatory refresher courses are also the same. Matter of fact, I've set up a test run in the Valley to follow up in what went wrong and how to prevent it. It's the team first and foremost, together with the handlers. Grady will be in on part two."</p><p>Hamada nodded. Just like always, business as usual.</p><p>"So this is serious," he stated.</p><p>Carter chose his answer carefully, neutrally. "Quite, yes."</p><p>"Relationships are never stable," his friend reminded him.</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"But you trust that this won't end in a messy break-up that endangers the pack balance and the safety of the park?"</p><p>Yes, Hamada was quick to pick up on the most important bits: the pack and the park.</p><p>"Believe me, I gave it a lot of thought. Not to mention that Owen was adamant not to let it happen at all. He did everything to convince me that, emotions aside, it wasn't a good idea."</p><p>Katashi looked a little surprised.</p><p>"He's an ornery, stubborn bastard," Carter said wryly.</p><p>"Noted."</p><p>"And we both know this is more than a fling. I had almost two years to figure out if I wanted to get into this kind of triangle. I didn't even know all the facts before I decided to take the risk."</p><p>Hamada's face reflected curiosity, but he respected the unspoken of boundaries as to how far Dan was willing to open up.</p><p>"I took a lot into account, especially Owen's infamous bunch of terrifying ladies. Nothing changes, Katashi. No more than before."</p><p>"Understood."</p><p>And that was that.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Owen sat on his couch, watching TV without really paying attention. He felt too full, stuffed with pizza and the really, really delicious pie that had found its way to the pizza party, too.</p><p>"You ate your own body weight in food," Dan commented.</p><p>The man had taken up the rest of the couch, stretched out and with his head pillowed on a cushion that was partially resting against Owen's thighs. He was reading a book. An honest-to-paper novel. It was a homely scene; peaceful.</p><p>"I regret nothing," Owen sighed, sinking deeper into the cushions.</p><p>It got him a grunt.</p><p>He looked at the blond head and grinned, absolutely relaxed and very much enjoying himself. It was something he hadn't thought of ever happening or actually liking. It was so… normal.</p><p>They were… normal.</p><p>Carter put his book down and tilted his head a little more, looking at Owen upside down. "Deep thoughts?"</p><p>"How pizza and mousse au chocolat don't mix? Especially with the experimental fruit cocktail Eddie mixed. That stuff was lethal."</p><p>"You didn't have to drink it. Or eat the mousse."</p><p>"Didn't see you turn it down."</p><p>Carter smirked a little. "I can stomach it."</p><p>Owen rolled his eyes.</p><p>"More deep thoughts, aside from the food?"</p><p>"Nah. Just… us."</p><p>Blond brows rose. "Us," he echoed. "And no deep thoughts on us."</p><p>"Nope."</p><p>"Like the whole agonizing months before you finally caved?"</p><p>"You're an asshole, Carter."</p><p>"Hm, I know, Grady."</p><p>A smug one, too, Owen thought fondly.</p><p>"So, what's the verdict on us?" Dan wanted to know.</p><p>Dog with a bone, Owen mused.</p><p>"I like this," he said honestly.</p><p>Those gray eyes watched him, still upside down. Carter's lips curled into a warm smile. He reached up, rather coordinated for seeing everything upside down, and he pulled Owen closer. It was a messy little kiss, barely even a real one, and Owen laughed.</p><p>"Idiot."</p><p>Dan finally sat up and looked into the amused green eyes. "Us?" he prompted.</p><p>"You're not gonna let that go, hm?"</p><p>"Not when you start having epiphanies."</p><p>Owen studied the handsome features, the light stubble that he only got to see when they spent the night together. Carter, unlike himself, was always clean-shaven. Those pale gray eyes were warm, filled with a fondness that leaked through sometimes even when Carter was on duty and they were working together. Thinking back, Owen realized it had been an expression he had seen many times before.</p><p>Damn.</p><p>Carter chuckled, shaking his head. "You have a really bad poker face." He kissed him again, a brief contact of lips against lips, then got up. "Gotta go. Keep on thinking about that epiphany, Grady," he teased. "You might have another one."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Owen watched the SUV disappear, then walked over to the raptor paddock. The four girls had been watching as Carter left and they were now warbling, chittering and rumbling at him. He leaned against the bars, sighing.</p><p>"Epiphany my ass," he muttered.</p><p>Blue snorted and blew warm air against his neck. <i>You like him.</i></p><p>"Of course I do."</p><p>
  <i>You don't tell him like you tell us.</i>
</p><p>Owen turned and looked into the inhuman eyes. "I did," he insisted.</p><p>Blue tapped her sharp talons against the steel bars, creating loud 'clangclangs'. Delta had already sauntered off, finding something else of interest, which had also caught Charlie's attention. The two were currently sniffing around the bushes and trees. Echo was sunbathing. None of them looked to where the tapping came from.</p><p>"I did," Owen repeated. "And he knows."</p><p>
  <i>He doesn't know like we do. We feel you, we know you.</i>
</p><p>He silently met her eyes, then leaned his forehead against the thick steel bar. Blue nuzzled against his hair, her amusement clear to feel. 'Use your words', floated through his mind. It sounded like Claire's voice of reason. He almost laughed.</p><p>He liked Dan. A lot. The emotions between them were intense, strong, and very, very real.</p><p>He was just…</p><p>He couldn't put it all into words. Those words. Somehow Owen thought that Dan knew, that he understood, that he wasn't insecurely waiting for Grady to say it out loud.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quarantine Two went live under heavy security, with every safety measure in place, and completely without any press present. Masrani didn't make a media spectacle out of it, keeping the opening under the radar, and not even park visitors had an inkling as to what was going on not far from the Cretaceous Cruise.</p>
<p>Owen had followed all updates, had visited the site, had talked to Claire and Carter about what was going to happen, and he had been given the list of teams and individuals assigned to Q2. Aside from Dr. Sinclair, who was the lead vet and in charge, there were three full teams of veterinarians, vet assistants, caretakers and animal wranglers. Carter had put together a security detail that was only responsible for Q2. Many of the men and women had already done tours with Quarantine and knew what to expect and how to handle matters.</p>
<p>Today would also mark the arrival of eight dinosaurs. Rescues, as they were called. All past the hatchling stage, but there were near-infants, just heading into the teenage age. Owen had read the list and looked at the images and the videos that had been attached to each individual. Each of the eight animals had been given a number.</p>
<p>It had made him sick to see their conditions. Even on video and photos it was hard to miss how badly off they were.</p>
<p>There were two stygimolochs, one missing a whole hand, the other with a limp coming from a badly healed break. Both were incredibly shy, despite their otherwise so head-strong nature and easily roused temper. These two had been kept chained all day, showing scars on their necks and legs.</p>
<p>Q2 would also house a young triceratops with broken horns, as well as a parasaurolophus with one blind eye. There were two gallimimus who looked severely malnourished, their skin color absolutely off, and suffering from skin rashes. And finally there were two compsignati, who had been held in bird cages, treated like pets, missing their teeth and declawed. They were miserable little creatures. Others who had suffered the same fate had had to be put to sleep. These two might survive, but the odds were against them.</p>
<p>Owen really wanted to hurt those people. Many of his fellow caretakers felt that way and all had been informed of what was going to happen in Q2. Several had applied to handle the mistreated animals and everyone had been on board with showing the world what had been done, how the animals were treated here, how the park tried to at least give them a habitat to live out the rest of their days in an as natural environment as possible, without chains and among their kind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The transport was right on time and everything went smoothly, as if they had done it a thousand times before. In a way they had, but it was still different from daily park procedures. Carter's troopers were highly alert and all armed with tranquilizers, though that would be the last resort. The condition of the animals was too fragile to dose them up, risking a collapsed lung or heart failure from the stress combined with the tranqs.</p>
<p>Carter himself was fully armed and armored, keeping a close eye on everything as the new Q2 security followed protocol, as the caretakers and wranglers ushered the sedated animals as gently as possible.</p>
<p>Owen was on the walkways above the new pens, watching everything with eagle eyes, cataloguing the condition of each animal. His mind twitched toward the unlucky creatures, but he felt the safety net tighten around him, holding him. Even at a distance, the pack was there, though not in an overwhelming way. Blue was closest, as always, the others distant shadows but their strengths was their numbers.</p>
<p>He wouldn't slip.</p>
<p>He wasn't tempted to touch those sluggishly moving minds of the sedated animals. Just seeing them was enough to know that the caretakers had their work laid out for them.</p>
<p>"Owen."</p>
<p>The low voice jolted him out of his thoughts.</p>
<p>Carter's eyes bore into his. Owen gave him a little quirk of his lips.</p>
<p>"Don't worry. I'm not going to mind-meld with them."</p>
<p>It didn't even get him a twitch of a smile. "Sure?" Dan's expression was intense, serious and very direct. No-nonsense. The chief of security.</p>
<p>"Trust me."</p>
<p>"I do, but sometimes you do stuff I want to strangle you for, Grady."</p>
<p>"Not today."</p>
<p>"Good to know." Carter's eyes were already back on the proceedings, watching as a doped up gallimimus still put up a struggle, refusing to leave the transportation box. "What's your verdict?"</p>
<p>One of the wranglers carefully looped a guiding line around the long neck and tugged. Each move was measured, no aggressive moves, no pressure, just gentle wordless questions, asking the animal to trust them, to follow their lead.</p>
<p>"We have to wait and see."</p>
<p>It got him a brief, hard look, then Carter turned back to watching the unloading.</p>
<p>Owen knew how difficult it had been to get those dinosaurs into the boxes already. It was the last leg of their journey and they would very much different lives here if the vets and caretakers could get them healthy and mostly whole again. No one knew how much of their past experience would stick.</p>
<p>Dinosaurs weren't stupid. They had long-term memory, they related to their caretakers, grew attached, developed likes and dislikes, and they recalled bad events as well as good. While they lived in the present, past experiences shaped their behavior and thinking. Some were more intelligent than others, but none were dumb.</p>
<p>The galli bleated softly and finally followed. Owen felt its tentative mind, how it was cautious, close to afraid, but it still had a curiosity that gave him hope. The second one followed, pressing close to its companion.</p>
<p>"Female. Both of them," Owen murmured.</p>
<p>Which was a good thing. They would be kept together and no one wanted to breed gallis. The parasaurolophus was suspected to be a male, which meant it had been taken from Sorna. The compies were as of yet unclassified, and the styggies were probably a male and a female, which was raising a lot of headaches due to the matter of possible breeding. So far Sinclair had decided to keep them together to reduce stress and until a final determination as of their gender had been made. If they turned out to be male and female, the vets would have to come up with ideas. Neutering a dinosaur hadn't been on anyone's resume so far.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It took half a day in total, from the arrival of the ship with its precious cargo to settling them all in their new paddocks. Right now all animals would be kept in smaller pens. Vets were already checking them, drawing blood, running scans, checking old scars and the amputated areas. As long as the sedation was keeping them docile, Sinclair wanted as much data as possible. They would then be given their first shots and left to acclimatize on their own, with only their caretakers present.</p>
<p>Owen didn't leave, watched every procedure, monitored the animals from a distance and without stepping past his shields. Carter was there, talking to the new Q2 team, checking safety procedures, security set-ups and talking to the heads of the facility.</p>
<p>"Looks good so far," he said as he joined Owen outside the surgical theater's large view screen.</p>
<p>Owen's eyes were on the styggy that was currently checked head to toe. It was the one with the missing hand. The scars were uneven showing shoddy workmanship, and one of the vets had remarked on how knobby they were. There was thankfully no inflammation around the area and they guessed it had happened early on in the dinosaurs life. The styggy was definitely a male and the veterinarian in charge estimated he was about five years old, though he was very small for his age. They had females twice his size at the park.</p>
<p>"Stunted growth," Grady said softly. "He might be infertile."</p>
<p>"Not to sound callous, but that's probably for the best," Carter rumbled.</p>
<p>He shot him a brief, humorless smile. "Probably."</p>
<p>"You're staying?"</p>
<p>"A little longer."</p>
<p>"Owen…" came the warning, wrapped up in his first name.</p>
<p>"I'm good and I'll be good, Dan. Cross my heart." He made the gesture and smiled again. "You're one big mother-hen."</p>
<p>"This is Grady Watch talking. I know you. I have known you. And you know I'm right when it comes to you being a trouble magnet."</p>
<p>"Ouch."</p>
<p>Carter scowled and Owen pushed his hands into his pockets, eyes back on the small patient that was making protesting noises even under sedation. They would be done within the next five minutes as to not stress him too much more. Dan was just about to say something when a call came in and he took it, nodding and confirming he was on his way.</p>
<p>"Don't overdo it," he told Owen.</p>
<p>"Yes, mom."</p>
<p>It got him a warning look. If not for the arrival of one of the many assistants and nurses, Owen would have kissed that scowl. Now he just shot him another smile and Carter walked off, heading to wherever he had been called.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He returned to his own home, his paddock, late in the afternoon, and felt the pack close around his mind. They felt his upset, his emotions, the empathy he had for the crippled and mistreated new-arrivals, though they didn't share the sentiment. Just like every time Owen felt angry when it came to the poachers and their thoughtless clientele, the pack viewed it with cold, logical distance and not a shred of human empathy. In their world, the herbivores would be easy prey and would be taken from the herd and only the strong and fit would survive.</p>
<p>Pack was treated differently. Pack would be protected, even the injured, and food would be shared to help those with less luck in a hunt. Owen knew it was a unique mind-set, especially among such vicious hunters and coldly logical creatures as the genetically precisely engineered velociraptors he called his own. They had saved him twice. They had taken their weak, injured, bleeding alpha to safety. There had never been a moment either of them had tried to overthrow him, physically or mentally. Blue was his anchor and with the others they were all his safety net.</p>
<p>His beta pushed against him the moment Owen walked into the paddock, the heavy gate falling shut behind him. He wrapped his arms around her neck, burying close, and the other sought him out, crowding without suffocating. They rumbled and purred, their minds humming within the pack bond, and Owen just let himself fall, be only himself. He let them take away the fury, the image of crippled creatures that had been taken from Sorna by traffickers without a shred of conscience.</p>
<p>Blue's presence grew, her warmth physical and mental, and she rumbled softly. <i>It will never be us.</i></p>
<p>No, it never would be.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He spent the rest of the day with the pack, sitting in the shade of the trees that filled half the paddock area, one raptors always with him. Echo had decided his lap was a wonderful pillow and Owen absent-mindedly caressed the copper-hued skin, tracing the pattern of gray-green and copper along her head and snout, her neck and throat. Echo was sleeping, but not deeply, enjoying the treatment, absolutely relaxed.</p>
<p><i>Your mate is here</i>, Blue announced, her voice carrying an amused tone.</p>
<p>Owen blinked. He hadn't heard the SUV, which showed him just how far away he had been. Not really thinking, just swimming with the pack mind, enjoying the absolutely Zen moment of having no worries, no pressing matters, nothing that occupied his mind.</p>
<p>Carter was standing outside the bars, head tilted a little to the right, looking slightly amused. Delta was already next to him, chittering, clearly hoping he would come inside and stay with the whole pack for once.</p>
<p><i>Not a chance, girl</i>, Owen told her.</p>
<p>She huffed, shooting him a grumpy look as if Owen would hex her chances with those words.</p>
<p>Echo raised her head off his lap, barking. She looked like an eager puppy about to wag her tail. A vicious, terrifying puppy with razor sharp claws and teeth.</p>
<p>Owen got up and dusted off his pants, approaching the bars. "Hey," he greeted the other man.</p>
<p>"Hey yourself. I see you already got your cuddle therapy."</p>
<p>He chuckled. "Kinda. Everything done?"</p>
<p>"For today. Q2 is perfectly secure. We checked all back-ups twice. Like the original Quarantine and all paddocks the independent systems are up and running. Everything is in place and I'm off duty for the rest of the day. McCarthy's in charge now. Unless we have another break-out or break-in, all I get are his normal reports. And I really hope we're not getting any of those incidents."</p>
<p>Owen held up crossed fingers. Ever since the i-rex, no more system failures had occurred. Doors were triple checked and if there was even the slightest doubt, no one entered any habitat, least of all a predator's. Just going into Rexy Sue's enclosure was a monumental operation that involved armed troopers who looked like they could take over a small country.</p>
<p>"You planning to come out of there or should I start on beer and chips on my own?" Dan raised his eyebrows.</p>
<p>Grady chuckled. He felt Blue's gentle push in his mind. He shot his beta a look and received a soft rumbling chug-chug.</p>
<p>"Yeah, yeah."</p>
<p>Dan waited for him as Owen locked the gate, then gave him a small kiss. "Good?"</p>
<p>"After therapy, yes."</p>
<p>"Good," he repeated with another kiss. "I need a shower. Then I want my own therapy, which is a beer, some unhealthy food, and you. Especially you."</p>
<p>"You say the most romantic things, Dan Carter."</p>
<p>The blond grinned and Owen mused that kissing him was also therapy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He decided that showering together was a bit of a cramped affair, but watching a very naked Dan get out from under the shower, wet and flushed from the warm water, was one of his favorite sights. And since Carter had no problems walking around naked, the sight stayed for a moment or two longer.</p>
<p>"Go shower," was the amused order when the man was dressed in black InGen issue sweat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They fell together on the couch not much later, both warm and relaxed, Carter nursing a beer and eating the chips he had been looking forward to. Owen joined him, limiting himself to no more than two bottles of Winston's brew. The pack was a sleepy presence within him, far away and just as relaxed as the blond man next to him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Dr. Alan Grant came back from his Utah dig, it was to a still smoothly running Jurassic World park. Two cruise ships had just arrived, together with the normal visitors that stayed for the day and would take the ferry back to the mainland. Various conferences had reserved a third of the Hilton's rooms, as well as all meetings rooms. The hubbub had been expected and was under control. The hotel handled such conferences several times a year, sometimes non-stop for months. The cruise ship landing site staff guided the disembarking passengers, put them on buses, shuttled them to their tours or attractions, and the ferry personnel was used to the excited new-arrivals.</p>
<p>Alan weaved through the masses like a pro. It wasn't unlike most of the large airports he had frequented, with security, controls, and the noise of hundreds of people. He knew the procedures by heart. Being on the VIP list had its perks, he mused, as he was quickly checked through security. He took a shuttle to the residential area and breathed a sigh of relief when the door of his house closed after him. Yes, there were perks to being who he was.</p>
<p>The house had been taken care of in his absence. Like all long-term residents he had a cleaning service at his disposal if he wanted to. Some took advantage of it, some preferred to take care of their place themselves. Since he hadn't been around, facility management had cleaned everything before his arrival and his fridge had been stocked with the basics Alan had ordered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After a shower and a change of clothes he checked his itinerary, confirmed he had nothing planned for the rest of the day as well as the whole day of tomorrow, and headed out to the raptor enclosure. Alan knew Owen was home and not on some pack outing, scouting through the restricted area, roughing it with four velociraptors in the wilds. Grady had linked his own itinerary to Alan's, giving him access to planned activities. Any trip outside the enclosure had to be announced, was logged into the park's records, and whenever the pack was off site and in the restricted area, security and park management knew about it.</p>
<p>And Dr. Alan Grant.</p>
<p>He had a park issued car, which had been in his garage, fully charged, so Alan drove along the backroads that only maintenance and other personnel used. It was an uneven, bumpy road, not at all paved, but the hard-packed ground was maintained and had no pot-holes.</p>
<p>Nothing had changed, he mused as he glanced at the scenery. Thankfully. No catastrophic failures, animals breaking out of their paddocks, or maybe some natural catastrophe rearranging the landscape.</p>
<p>The raptor paddock was really off the normal routes. It took him almost half an hour to reach it, the last stretch a little more uneven. Finally the trees gave way to the clearing that housed the vast paddock, the storage unit with its coolers and freezers, the pens, a house with a utility shed, and a wide-open space that stretched toward the jungle again. The cliff wasn't far away, a natural barrier and impossible to climb, let alone navigate a ship close enough to attempt such a feat. There was a reason why the paddock was located here.</p>
<p>Alan parked the car and got out. He was greeted by joyful barks and yips and he smiled a little as he discovered Echo bouncing excitedly behind the fenced paddock. Charlie ignored her sister's antics, Delta was nowhere to be seen, and Blue was watching him from a little further away like the regal pack beta she was. She was actively scenting, then barked once.</p>
<p>Echo whined when he approached. If she had been a dog she would be wagging her tail off, he mused. Right now she was bouncing on her toes, radiating happiness.</p>
<p>Alan looked into the yellow eyes of his so-called therapy raptor. Echo wasn't like those early raptors Hammond had bred. She was more colorful. She also wasn't like the Sornas he had encountered the second time, nor like their descendants. Owen's four girls were another genetic mix. Still not like their true ancestors, still engineered to be show ponies, but thankfully Masrani had had the foresight to never include them into his park.</p>
<p>And yet, despite knowing they weren't even close to the nightmares that had hunted him, that they were loyal to their alpha, protective, bound to him and able to understand so much more than any other raptors before them, Alan still couldn't suppress the queasy tremor that started under his sternum every time. He would never be able to let his guard down, no matter the adrenaline induced situations that might suggest otherwise, but it was no longer accompanied by the sensation of terror and memories of nightmares. He didn't have flashbacks, though he would never forget those past encounters, which made him incredibly wary and close to paranoid when it came to raptors.</p>
<p>They were his favorite animal to study. The fossils, not the live ones. Science knew so much more about them now, way more than what Hammond had ever been able to find, but the public loved the old image. A feathered version didn't fit, despite studies on Isla Sorna proving that the new generations had rudimentary feathers at birth that fell out later.</p>
<p>There was a soft trill. Echo pushed her nose against the mesh between the steel bars, suddenly very still, just humming. Her nostrils quivered.</p>
<p>"Hello," he said, voice strangely hoarse, but he was calmer than on the first time he had ever set eyes on them.</p>
<p>Alan reached out, palm flat against the mesh, feeling her warm breath on his skin. She snorted gently, nostrils blowing wide as she took in his scent, then she slowly raised her head and regarded him with such calmness, it dispersed the tremors, though some unease remained. It might never disappear.</p>
<p>"Hello, Echo," he greeted her softly.</p>
<p>Echo whuffled.</p>
<p>Alan smiled more.</p>
<p>After a long moment of looking at each other, Grant finally turned and headed for the house, Echo accompanying him with the fence between them until she reached the end of the paddock.</p>
<p>Owen was on the porch, looking loose-limbed and relaxed, and he waved at his guest, wriggling his fingers in the now traditional reminder that he still had all digits and limbs firmly attached.</p>
<p>"Didn't know you were coming in today," he greeted the older man.</p>
<p>"You should check your emails more often."</p>
<p>He grimaced. "I knew you were arriving today. I just thought you'd be busy unpacking and maybe getting some rest."</p>
<p>"I'm old, Grady, but not that old. I don't need a nap."</p>
<p>Owen offered something to drink and both men settled down, Alan's eyes roaming over the area. Everything looked absolutely fine. He noticed some repair work, but there were no signs of past disasters.</p>
<p>"So, what's new?" he asked. "How's Mr. Carter doing?"</p>
<p>Owen blew out a breath.</p>
<p>Alright, that sounded like something had happened. Alan studied their resident alpha, looking for injuries, even hidden ones that might show in the way he moved, showed discomfort. The raptors had looked fine, which was a relief.</p>
<p>"Carter's fine again, already back on duty. Bumps and bruises. The arm's healed up. It was serious, but not dead serious. The tech was let go and taken off the island. He didn't sue, despite not getting any payment, and Carter decided not to follow up on it either. Case closed."</p>
<p>"Good to hear. But…?"</p>
<p>"But nothing."</p>
<p>"Right." He gave the younger man a stern look. "Spill it."</p>
<p>Owen leaned back. "Well, something else happened," he finally said quietly.</p>
<p>Alan raised his eyebrows, silent.</p>
<p>"Dan and I happened."</p>
<p>Now the eyebrows almost met his hairline. Well, damn again! The kid kept throwing curve balls at him that he hadn't seen coming! It wasn't really the fact that Owen's relationship happened to be with a man. It was more the fact that Grady was in a relationship in the first place! Alan was quite aware of Owen's failed date with Claire Dearing, but that had been before the whole pack bond thing. After that and after the i-rex, and especially after his near-catastrophic encounter with the poachers, Owen had been avoiding relationships like the plague. Friendships, yes, sure. Anything more intimate, a sign of flirting, and he was off and running.</p>
<p>"When?" Alan asked, mind racing.</p>
<p>"According to whose opinion on my private life?" came the sigh. "Apparently some people were keeping a betting pool on us."</p>
<p>"And why I didn't know about that?" Alan asked, mock-outraged. "Who won?"</p>
<p>It got him a startled look.</p>
<p>"Kid, I don't give a damn about who likes who and does what. I'm just surprised I didn't see it myself. We've known each other since before you even started here!"</p>
<p>"From what I've been told, you have to be a woman to know. And men are idiots. Claire's words. And Gregory won. Please don't ask me how and what the rules were."</p>
<p>He laughed, shaking his head. "Sounds about right. I've been told the very same a few times. Men are oblivious." He grew serious again. "So, you and the Chief?"</p>
<p>Owen nodded.</p>
<p>"Since you decided to act on your attraction I take it the pack is okay with sharing their alpha?"</p>
<p>"You really don't want to know."</p>
<p>Grant smirked. "Oh, when it comes to you I do, Grady. I really do. Pack behavior in velociraptors is quite an interesting topic. Your pack is all the more special."</p>
<p>It got him a dark look. "Yeah, well, you are part of that pack, too, professor."</p>
<p>"But I'm not the alpha's partner. I just have a therapy raptor."</p>
<p>There were three loud barks from that therapy raptor in question, which had Alan wince a little.</p>
<p>“And every time they listen in and respond, I’m freaked out again,” he muttered. “So much for therapy.”</p>
<p>“A few years back you would have high-tailed it out of there. Well, you wouldn't even have set foot on the island for all the money in the world. So, in therapy speak, I think it's working.” Owen gave him a little cheeky smile.</p>
<p>Alan gave him a dark look. "Alright, back to the real news: you and Dan Carter. It must have been a very convincing argument on his side to get you to take that step." At Owen's expression he grinned. "Like I said, I know you. And you have a lot to consider, Owen. A whole lot."</p>
<p>"I did. And I considered and reconsidered a few times. The pack was already okay with it before I even entertained the idea that it might just work. Carter's the most patient man in the world."</p>
<p>"I agree. With you he has to be. Welcome to the club, I have to say. I know Laurel once proposed t-shirts."</p>
<p>"Hey," he muttered.</p>
<p>"Only the truth, kid. I understand the reluctance. Those four needed to accept him. And he has to be okay with the consequences of being involved with you."</p>
<p>"He is. No idea how, but he is." Owen scrubbed a hand over his face and hair. "Why is there no book on this?"</p>
<p>"Because 'this' has never happened before," Alan explained. "A lot of ‘this’ never has. I should know. I've written my share of books on the dinosaurs brought back to life with the help of genetic engineering at the hands of highly motivated scientists with the help of billionaires with too much time on their hands. And I recently published my findings on pack behavior in prehistoric predators, dedicating more than half of the chapters to raptors. You're special to begin with, kiddo. The pack is unique. Now Mr. Carter has come into the equation and he seems to fit, I take it?"</p>
<p>Owen nodded. "They liked him before, accepted him, and he interacts with them like a professional handler would after years of training, maybe even raising them."</p>
<p>Alan knew that park security and the raptor pack interacted and trained together, that Carter pushed and mandated training and patrols. He also knew that Owen and Dan were good friends, had been through a lot, had grown to trust and rely on each other, and maybe it had been the foundation of it all. Owen had allowed himself to open up to someone on a more personal level.</p>
<p>"Good for you," he said, meeting the slightly startled eyes. "Human companionship," Alan explained. "I know you have four very intelligent minds linked to you, but you are human. First and foremost you are human. You need human interaction, human friendships, and also human relationships You have very good friends, you have people at the park who respect you, who turn to you for advice, but at the end of the day you are out here alone." He held up a hand. "I know you're not a hermit in the making, but the ones who are always around you are basically animals. Yes, they are almost human in some regards, but their minds are those of animals. Alien."</p>
<p>Grant looked over toward the paddock. No raptor was to be seen. He knew they were watching, listening, waiting. Silently. Prowling and hunting. And maybe the gate was open and they could simply walk outside, but they didn't. They were beyond those raptors he had encountered several times before and that was a terrifying fact.</p>
<p>"Your bond to them gives them an edge, and they give you an edge no human should have. Your abilities enhance them and you integrated them into you. I won't say you are part raptor, Owen. I've known you for a very, very long time and you are a very grounded individual. Calm, balanced, the perfect pack leader. It's what has animals around you react to you. The talent gives you another edge. But deep down inside you share something wild and untamed with the pack. Just like they have the calm and control you need to have as an alpha. It's an incredible power, but it sets you apart, makes you lonely."</p>
<p>"You think I turned to Carter because I felt lonely?" Owen asked sharply.</p>
<p>Alan shook his head, smiling calmly at him. "No. You wouldn't risk it. I know you take the utmost care, would rather wall yourself off than let anyone find a way to harm and hurt the pack, make them vulnerable or give someone the incentive to pursue you and them. Masrani handed them over to you because it would protect them and you in turn. You have an iron-clad contract that ensures you won't be separated, that gives you a life-long place on this island, no matter what. I think you finally let yourself follow another instinct, Owen. One that led you to Mr. Carter. And judging by the pack's acceptance of him, they probably helped you along the way."</p>
<p>Owen's eyes flitted over to the paddock. A bark came from somewhere, answered by rumbles and chuffs.</p>
<p>"Pesky little matchmakers," he muttered, but not unkindly.</p>
<p>Alan smiled with real amusement. "So Mr. Carter is now pack," he stated, not even making it a question.</p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p>"In their eyes he is the alpha mate. Your companion. Your equal."</p>
<p>"He can't enter the bond, Alan."</p>
<p>"Not a preternatural one, no. But humans can lead packs without your little advantage, Owen. They have for ages. Your ability just gives you something unique." He raised his eyebrows.</p>
<p>Grady was silent, playing with the soda can. "I… When I was little, my grandfather warned me never to go to deep when touching an animal's mind," he said after a long while. "He told me I could get lost. It's how he lost his own sister. I followed that advice. I never let them in. It changed with Blue and the others. It was a slow, gradual process and I didn't get lost when I let them in. I didn't even know how deep I went with them and then it was too late. And I wasn't a vegetable. Or insane. Or a raptor in a human form. I had them with me and they had me and we… worked."</p>
<p>He fell silent once more, clearly working through something. Alan let him. There was something on the younger man's mind.</p>
<p>"My grampa also said to never touch a human's mind. Because it's too complex, too overwhelming. Possibly fatal. It would break me. It has broken many in the past. Animals are safe. Animals are easier. I had the talent to work with them and still be myself."</p>
<p>Alan felt a little uneasy now.</p>
<p>"When I fracture my mind into those of the girls, I'm still myself. They are my safety. They ground me, just like I ground them. It's a back and forth. When I… cracked and shattered…because of the Sornas… well, I blew my mind to pieces. I broke my own barriers, was in every mind of every dinosaur, went through them like a tidal wave. I was suddenly all over the island… I don't really remember much, but now… now I know I could have gone into a human mind. I didn't, because of the girls. I managed to pull myself together, to save myself." Owen looked suddenly pale and drawn. "But cracks remained. I'll never be who I was before. And I… I reached for…" He met Alan's blue eyes, his own filled with a million emotions. "I gave Carter a way into the pack. Unconsciously. He's there, but neutral. He can't feel or hear them, or me. I can't communicate with him like I do with the pack either. I just… made him part of it. There is a crack in my shields and it's because of him."</p>
<p>Alan knew he was staring, is own mind racing. The revelation was ground-breaking… actually tearing that very ground out from under him. He had never heard of anything like that ever happening before, but then again, this was Owen Grady. What that man had done in the past had been full of so many first times, it was no longer funny.</p>
<p>"You… you had already subconsciously chosen him."</p>
<p>"I have no idea what was going through my head. Really. I just acted. I was so out of it… Alan, I'm not sure just how I managed what I did. And I won't be able to do it again," he said roughly.</p>
<p>"And now he's part of the pack?"</p>
<p>Owen nodded jerkily. "Has been before that, actually. The girls reacted to his energy right from the very first day. He's an alpha in their eyes. He's strong and assertive, they can feel and read him. They reacted like they would to anyone else, like they did toward the interns or other visitors. Like they do when you're around. Now he's also part of the bond without changing the balance within the pack."</p>
<p>"He can't copy what you do?"</p>
<p>"Not the preter part, no. He can give orders, he has learned to read their body language, listens to their voices. Dan's pretty good at that, actually."</p>
<p> "You like him," Alan summarized. "Maybe more." That got him a startled look and Grant nearly laughed. Yeah, a lot more. "He's part of you. He is accepted by them. He doesn't usurp anyone's place. Do I have that about right?"</p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p>"Your pack is your protection, has been since the incident. They love you. Unconditionally. I think Dan fits in quite nicely in that regard."</p>
<p>Owen smiled, looking a little brittle, but also relieved. They had had long conversations after the incident in the restricted area that had left Owen shaken and his mind vulnerable and almost broken. Alan knew every detail of what had occurred, what the pack had done, how Owen had clawed back to normalcy and had been able to shut himself off from the other minds on this island. Remnants remained. He would always be more aware of them all now, could easily slide along those existent paths now, but he didn't.</p>
<p>There was a whuffling huff and Alan almost jumped when he discovered Blue standing several feet away, fingers twitching, head tilted. She clicked her jaw. Owen smiled softly at her.</p>
<p>Alan gazed at the beta of the pack who had silently left the paddock and was now watching him. She curled her long fingers, her rumbles sounding like an old engine. She finally barked again and Alan startled a little.</p>
<p>Damn. He should be used to the situation out here already, but he wasn't. Might never be. He could trust in Owen to have a handle on his pack, that they wouldn't hurt another human unless provoked or unless someone tried to harm their alpha. Grant might even get away with just walking through the pack and he knew from Owen that Echo loved him as much as a lethal predator like her could be attached to someone outside the pack bond.</p>
<p>He would never try, though. He had been close to them in the wild, had spent the night with them, no gates or fence between them, but his brain kept dredging up old memories. Nightmares.</p>
<p>Blue huffed and transferred that intense gaze to her alpha, and something passed between them. Owen looked almost pained.</p>
<p>"If I had to guess I'd say she's reading you the riot act," Alan said.</p>
<p>It got him a weak laugh. "You wouldn't be wrong."</p>
<p>Blue barked, then sauntered off to pick a shady place to curl up in. The others weren't around.</p>
<p>Grant looked at the other man again. "You're very serious about Mr. Carter."</p>
<p>"Absolutely. He knew everything going in."</p>
<p>"You don't do things halfway."</p>
<p>"I had to tell him, Alan."</p>
<p>"Hoping to drive him away?" he asked knowingly.</p>
<p>Owen looked a little surprised, then huffed a weak laugh. "Maybe."</p>
<p>Translation: definitely. "He's still here. That tells you something, kid."</p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p>Alan silently waited, watched his friend of many years work through his emotions. Owen was a very down to earth, level-headed guy who had a sound head on his shoulders and who always acted within reason. He was grounded in himself and also in his pack.</p>
<p>But he was also only human. He had been overwhelmed by emotions, by his emotions, and by something that had caught him completely unaware: wanting something. Human companionship, physical closeness, someone to share his so not normal life with. Owen had always told him he was absolutely at peace with himself, his life, his work. He lacked nothing, wouldn't want to change a thing, even if he could. And now this. Alan smiled to himself.</p>
<p>"So, did you tell your parents?" he asked lightly.</p>
<p>Owen's eyes widened and he stared at him almost accusatory. "What?" he blurted.</p>
<p>He just smiled more. "You didn't."</p>
<p>"I don't need my parents' approval or even their permission!"</p>
<p>Alan had to laugh. "Of course not."</p>
<p>Owen glowered. "You are an evil man, Professor Grant. A very evil man."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Things kept migrating from one place to the other. Personal things, books, and clothes. Owen had made room in his wardrobe for some of Carter's civvies and also a full uniform set. There was a toothbrush, brush, towels and a razor, not to mention care products.</p>
<p>Owen's access to the park network was on almost the same security level as the chief of security's already. His clearance had always been above the levels for most handlers, but after the i-rex he had been given free access to any and all areas in the park, no questions asked. His cyber clearance wasn't as deep as Carter's, which he didn't mind anyway. He was only a little bit surprised to find that he now suddenly had a priority access connection and a much bigger bandwidth. No matter the usage and how many users were online, the moment he logged on, he was given priority.</p>
<p>Their lives continued just as before. Dan spent one or two nights out at the paddock and he worked late on others. Owen was with the girls, running games and tests, engaging their minds as much as their bodies. Sometimes he was tinkering with his bikes, cleaning, repairing or just inspecting the parts. On a few occasions he came home from spending time with Nancy and M or anyone else at the park to find Carter comfortably at home in his house, working on new security protocols or reading and reviewing existing ones, especially concerning the attractions and the planned extensions.</p>
<p>It was… so normal. So… so much his life without feeling like everything had changed. They had lived with each other before living with each other, he mused, shaking his head at his thoughts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It took Owen a while to agree to spend a longer stretch of time, translate: the night, at Dan’s place, away from the pack, who had all but sworn up and down that they would behave and not break out.</p>
<p><i>We are fine</i>, Blue told him calmly. <i>We are not hatchlings. We don't need supervision.</i></p>
<p>"Yeah, well… I know that."</p>
<p>And he did. He could leave them alone and already had in the past, always not by his choosing. He had spent a night at the hospital and nothing had happened. Then again, Barry or someone else had looked after the girls. Owen wasn't inclined to find a raptor-sitter because he wanted to have a sleep-over with Carter. And even though so many knew about their relationship, he didn't want to flaunt it around or make it even more public.</p>
<p>Blue gave him that annoyed look and Delta huffed, relaying her own displeasure. All four were adamant that their alpha be with his mate, that he could leave them on their own for the night.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen caved after a few days.</p>
<p>It was video games one night, but in the end he didn’t stay at Carter’s.</p>
<p>He had felt restless all evening, despite the distraction of games and the man next to him on the couch. Dan had finally called it a day.</p>
<p>"I understand. Go."</p>
<p>"Dan…"</p>
<p>Carter chuckled against his neck, kissing his pulse point. "I didn't expect you to stay."</p>
<p>"I brought my bag," Owen stated, glancing at his weekender.</p>
<p>Carter regarded him with that fine smile, that crinkle around his mouth. "I know you. Go."</p>
<p>The kiss was nice. Really, really nice. Lips chased his and he let himself fall into the contact. Hands caressed his sides as the kiss grew deeper, pushing him back into the pillows. It was a slow, gentle, loving kiss. Reassuring and filled with sensual warmth. Fingers trailed over warm skin, palms sliding over each other's body, exploring, kissing and enjoying the nearness. It was like an addiction. A good kind of addiction.</p>
<p>There was no urgency, no drive to reach any point any time soon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the end Owen had gone, but he felt like an idiot. A rather satisfied, slightly tingly and very mellow idiot, but a real one anyway. Leaving Dan had been harder than he would have thought. The possibility to spend the night with the other man had been alluring. That Carter looked delicious, warm and very, very tempting hadn't helped either.</p>
<p>Yeah, he was an idiot.</p>
<p>Blue agreed as he stopped the bike and got off. The other three echoed it.</p>
<p><i>You left your mate</i>, she made her opinion known, growling low and with disappointment audible.</p>
<p>All were shadows in the night. The floodlights that had been there in the beginning were gone, no longer needed. Owen had had them dismantled right after the i-rex incident. The whole paddock had completely changed. Now it was a safe haven for the pack, a way to keep the world outside. It also assured visitors, which were far and few, that the animals were locked up.</p>
<p>Owen walked over to the thick steel bars. Blue's form seemed to coalesce out of the shadows and she chug-chugged softly. He leaned against the bars and her nose pushed against his forehead.</p>
<p>'Why?' floated within the pack bond.</p>
<p>"I don't know, girls. I really don't."</p>
<p><i>Instinct</i>, she whispered.</p>
<p>He turned and slid down the bars, groaning. "My instincts are crap," he stated.</p>
<p>Agreement echoed within the pack. They had been before when it came to accepting the fact that Dan Carter was a perfect fit. Now he was proving that point once again.</p>
<p>Owen grimaced. "Thanks, ladies. Really."</p>
<p>Blue chuffed.</p>
<p>Owen didn't need to be with the raptors, didn't feel separation anxiety when they weren't in his line of sight or within a certain radius. It had just been…</p>
<p>He had no explanation for it. Yes, his instincts were absolute crap, it seemed. Because this was about emotions and he was also really bad at emotions.</p>
<p>Blue's warm breath fanned over his neck and Owen finally got up. The others were in the background, dark shapes, but Owen felt them all with him.</p>
<p>"Next time," he muttered.</p>
<p>Blue rumbled, not convinced, and she walked back deeper into the enclosure.</p>
<p>Owen just fell into bed, still feeling really good from the last encounter, but his mind was whirling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It's new," Claire told him as they sat outside two days later, in the shade, enjoying ice cream and watching the people move past them.</p>
<p>She had chosen the botanical gardens for her lunch break, which Owen had forced on her due to Claire Dearing being a work-a-holic. It was almost a game for them, meeting every other week, Owen dragging her away for lunch hour, which usually turned into two, and Claire arguing she needed to work.</p>
<p>"I'm not some teenager!"</p>
<p>"No. It was never this serious, though."</p>
<p>He refused to be baited. Claire gave him an indulgent smile. Owen concentrated on eating what looked like ten thousand calories all wrapped up in chocolatey goodness, topped with whipped cream and sprinkles. Currently the sprinkles were slowly sliding down the side as it melted.</p>
<p>"You and I? Casual. One date. Didn't work out and that was that. You and Dan? Very serious. But you now have the pack and they will always come first."</p>
<p>He frowned. "I can't compare the girls with a relationship with another human being."</p>
<p>"No, probably not. But you're incredibly protective of those raptors. You worry, Owen. After everything that happened, no one can blame you. But you mentioned it yourself: they want you to spend time with your partner. They see him as your equal, correct?"</p>
<p>He nodded, finishing the melting goodness. Claire curled a hand around one wrist, squeezing gently. Owen's eyes met hers.</p>
<p>"Give yourself time. There is no pressure but the one you put on yourself. I doubt Mr. Carter is asking you to move in."</p>
<p>"Uh, no."</p>
<p>"Or change."</p>
<p>"No."</p>
<p>"The two of you have been in a relationship a lot longer than you realized, Owen. Just do what you've always done. Let it happen. Don't think too much. Your girls are fine if they say they're fine and I highly doubt anyone is crazy or brave enough to break into the paddock while you spend a night at Carter's place."</p>
<p>Owen snorted.</p>
<p>"No one is going to poach on your territory, Owen. No one."</p>
<p>His head snapped up and he tensed, eyes narrowing a little, and Claire held the suddenly cold expression. Owen finally exhaled after a long five seconds.</p>
<p>"Cheap shot."</p>
<p>"But hitting the nail right on. We all saw the pictures. You've been to Q2 a few times. I know how many of the other handlers reacted. There was quite a storm on the intranet chats and everyone who can and has been authorized came to watch those poor little souls. Not to mention that the live-cam has been accessed several hundred thousand times already."</p>
<p>The live-cam had gone online two weeks ago. There had also been a remote press event and Claire was planning on a select few reporters coming to visit the park once Dr. Sinclair gave his all-clear. Right now the rescues were still too unstable and needed the quiet, still adjusting to their new, pain-free life and almost-freedom.</p>
<p>She emptied her small tub of ice cream and cleaned her hands on a napkin. Around them, a few tourists walked through the garden, looking at the plants, enjoying themselves.</p>
<p>"Thanks," Owen finally said softly.</p>
<p>"Anytime."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was Carter’s birthday that Owen Grady decided he would spend the night and not, definitely not!, go home again. Not that Dan made much of a deal out of the occasion. He hadn't really celebrated in the past and Owen understood. He wasn't one to throw parties either. It was a day like any other, according to him, and he wouldn't take time off or expected anything.</p>
<p>It didn't stop his team from ordering a humongous chocolate cake that dominated half of the break room table and which seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye. Mel's cakes were to die for and while she didn't do parties or big occasions, she would create special cakes by pre-order for special guests, VIPs or select friends. One of Dan's troopers knew her pretty well and she had agreed to make the large piece of chocolatey goodness.</p>
<p>Carter still did his rounds, put in his hours with some overtime, because of some screaming and shouting from one of the visitors. The man had been unruly to begin with, had thrown stuff around, had verbally abused staff and had finally demanded to talk to a higher up, threatening to complain to the CEO directly. Since the supervisors and managers hadn't been 'high' enough for him, Dan had made an appearance.</p>
<p>In full gear. It had shut the guy up for a moment, then he had started to scream some more, claiming police brutality, personal injuries and whatever else had come to his mind. It ended with the guy in their little brig, cooling him off, and they had run a drug test. It had come back positive for a party drug.</p>
<p>"What a party," one of his men had muttered.</p>
<p>Carter had simply shrugged. Just another day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was also an incident down at the ferry landing, when a group of animal activists had tried to stop people from disembarking. They had apparently arrived with the same ferry and had quickly set up a blockade.</p>
<p>It didn't take long for Carter's team to clear the disturbance and handle the matter, who just as quickly dismantled the display. There had been more than enough of those protests in the past and they were quite good at it.</p>
<p>But the whole event was followed by massive paper work of taking down names, identifying those who had no IDs on them, and taking care to coordinate their return to the mainland with authorities. Carter had to sign off on a few things while Hamada was called away because of a lost hiker.</p>
<p>"I'll deal with it. Go home," Hamada told him. "Today's just one of those days."</p>
<p>Carter grimaced. "Yeah. And somehow I wonder just what else is going to happen."</p>
<p>"Don't jinx it. I've got the late shift."</p>
<p>Dan chuckled. "Have fun."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Owen arrived at around eight, Carter had just walked into his home himself, looking tired.</p>
<p>"One of those days," Owen unconsciously echoed what Hamada had said already.</p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p>Carter peeled off the uniform, took a shower, and changed into simple sweats. H gratefully took the ham and cheese sandwich Owen had thrown together. He ate it while leaning against the kitchen counter. Owen didn't even ask. He could almost sense the bone-deep exhaustion and knew that the moment Carter sat down, he would fall asleep.</p>
<p>They slid together on the wide couch with its very comfortable chaise lounge. Dan gave a groan of relief.</p>
<p>"Stupidity at its best?" Owen asked lightly.</p>
<p>He scrubbed a hand over his face. "So, so much. Some days are worse than others. Today was that day. Give me a rampaging dinosaur any day."</p>
<p>He chuckled. "You really want Rexy shopping in Main Street?"</p>
<p>Carter rolled his head so he was looking at him. "Right now? After the stoned guy and the protesters? I kinda feel like Rexy would be a walk in the park."</p>
<p>"Only because you're so tired."</p>
<p>"I'm fine."</p>
<p>"Sure."</p>
<p>The yawn that hit him next swallowed anything else.</p>
<p>“You going to sleep on me?” Grady asked, laughter and mock-outrage in his voice.</p>
<p>“It’s a good place to sleep.”</p>
<p>"You're a riot. And a sap. Go to bed," Owen ordered.</p>
<p>"Alpha, hm?" Carter teased tiredly. "Always worrying."</p>
<p>"Nope, this is me."</p>
<p>"You're the alpha."</p>
<p>"Shut up, Carter, and go to bed. Get some sleep. You need it."</p>
<p>"Yes, mother."</p>
<p>But he didn't move.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen could tell the moment Carter fell asleep. Muscles relaxed a little more, his breathing evened out. An arm lay heavy over Owen’s middle, but he didn’t mind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>For a while he simply watched Dan sleep. It was such a rare opportunity since they usually woke within minutes of the other when they spent the night together. The face was relaxed and a shadow of a beard growth showed. The sharp angles had softened, the dark blond lashes contrasting the sun-tanned complexion.</p>
<p>Tired. Carter was absolutely tired. He needed this and he needed to sleep. Owen didn’t care that they were both fully dressed. He was comfortable in these clothes and he had wisely already kicked off his shoes.</p>
<p>After a while he picked up his tablet and paged through it. He decided to catch up on park memos. With the warm weight of Carter against his side he started to read.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the end Owen slid down to lay on the couch, Dan buried against him. The arm over his waist was still limp, the man deeply asleep. His hand rested gently on Carter’s back, feeling every breath.</p>
<p>The sun had long since disappeared behind the horizon, the long shadows flowing together and becoming night. Owen had abandoned his reading and was gazing out the window, watching the stars come out. Carter snored softly against his chest.</p>
<p>Closing his eyes, Owen let himself relax. He slipped off into a doze. He felt at ease, balanced, like nothing could take this from him. The pack's presence was mellow and distant, all of them still there and always ready to defend their alpha's mind, but none so much as twitched.</p>
<p>After a while he succumbed to sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Not how I had planned it," Owen murmured the next morning, feeling muscles in his neck complain.</p>
<p>There was a soft huff against his skin and he smiled when the arm around his waist tightened. Dan had the audacity to laugh, though he looked just as rumpled and in need of unlocking cramped muscles.</p>
<p>"First step, though. You didn't run home."</p>
<p>Owen gave him a dark look, but it didn't last long. Dan had some very convincing arguments to have Owen forgive him. Very, very convincing.</p>
<p>"Plans?" he asked, feeling mellow and warm and very, very spent.</p>
<p>Carter stretched, all naked and equally relaxed looking. "None. It's my day off." He grinned at the expression in the green eyes.</p>
<p>Owen knew they were going to take advantage of that day to the fullest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was early afternoon when Owen finally returned back home, feeling as relaxed as he hadn't in a very long time. He felt loose, happy… complete. It was a feeling he had had for a while now, but it had never hit him this strongly than now. Coming home after a night with his partner, with not a care in the world. No park matters, no rescues, no poachers, nothing at all.</p>
<p>The pack was with him, but very much in the background. Just… lounging around, as if they were swimming in the warmth their alpha projected. Owen had to smile at the soft eddies, the hum of pleasure that was both him and the four ladies.</p>
<p>
  <i>We told you.</i>
</p>
<p><i>Yeah, yeah</i>, he muttered.  </p>
<p>Everything was still standing.</p>
<p>
  <i>As promised.</i>
</p>
<p>Owen almost rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>And then he discovered Dr. Alan Grant sitting on his porch, typing on his laptop. The four raptors were lazing around the paddock. Echo had her head on Delta's back, like some huge, scaly pillow, watching her favorite professor with half-lidded eyes.</p>
<p>"Baby-sitting?" Owen called out as he walked up to his friend, grinning.</p>
<p>Alan chuckled. "I needed a quiet spot. The park's at full capacity, the hotel's overrun by a conference, not to mention the reunion. The auditorium is maxed out, and I really didn't want to sit home alone."</p>
<p>"So you came here to have the peanut gallery keep you company?"</p>
<p>There were some small chitters and Echo's excited calls.</p>
<p>"Kinda." Alan glanced over at the paddock, showing only mild discomfort. "They were perfect ladies and behaved the whole time." Then his eyes lit up with a little mischief. "And you come home late, kid. Wild night?"</p>
<p>"You want the excuse or the truth?"</p>
<p>"Wouldn't that be the same?"</p>
<p>Owen chuckled and poured himself a coffee, taking a seat next to Grant. His girls were sated, completely unconcerned, a peaceful presence.</p>
<p>"So I take it you worked out your issues?"</p>
<p>"I never had issues."</p>
<p>"Pull the other one."</p>
<p>"Yes, Dad, I spent the night at Dan's. We used protection."</p>
<p>Alan groaned. "Too much information, really."</p>
<p>Owen laughed. "We fell asleep on the couch."</p>
<p>"You're not as young as you used to be."</p>
<p>"But we made up for lost time in the morning."</p>
<p>Grant held up his hands in a warding off gesture. "As I said, too much."</p>
<p>The banter felt good. Normal. And the way the pack was moving around him, happy, relaxed, very balanced, did the rest.</p>
<p>Alan's eyes sparkled as he turned back to his work, typing away. Owen went over to the paddock and was greeted by his four girls, unconcerned and laid-back, nuzzling up and brushing against him, purring.</p>
<p>"Yes, yes, you told me," he muttered as Blue breathed warm air against his neck. "And yes, you were right."</p>
<p>Delta looked absolutely smug and rumbled, then walked off. Charlie barked at her, then tilted her head at her alpha, chittering.</p>
<p>"Yes, you were all right. Absolutely correct. Your alpha is an idiot."</p>
<p>Charlie looked extremely satisfied, even as Echo gave her an affronted chitter. Blue huffed at their antics and just watched as they chased each other. Then her attention was back on her alpha.</p>
<p>Owen reached up and scratched her chin and jaws, drawing an appreciative purr.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alan left just before nightfall. They had had dinner, which consisted of steaks and garlic bread, and talked about Alan's new book, his upcoming lectures at the auditorium, and a possible dig in Brazil.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They met up and drove out to Q2 the next day. Alan wanted to take a look at the rescues and he was as grim as Owen had felt the very first time he had seen the injured animals.</p>
<p>The male styggy had turned out to be infertile. The second was also a male, this one fertile, and the two could be kept in the same habitat, which did both some good. They were still extremely shy and the caretakers were doing everything to acclimatize the animals to their presence and their new environment.</p>
<p>The compies were having difficulties adapting to their newfound freedom. Any sound could set them off into a panic, running into glass screens or even walls. They never ventured out of the pen and one had developed a rash. The gallimimus were faring a lot better, becoming more communicative and bonding with their handlers. The triceratops had developed an almost boisterous streak, but it shied away from newcomers and took a while to trust anyone she hadn't seen before. The parasaurolophus was rather well-adapted to being blind in one eye and she was the calmest of the bunch, almost docile, developing the best. She looked almost like a normal dinosaur.</p>
<p>Sinclair gave Alan the big tour, both men quickly deep in conversation, which had Owen grin as he trailed behind. He finally stopped at the small cafeteria as the two men walked deeper into Q2. He found Reggie Faulkes sharing a cup with one of the vet assistants, talking shop about the triceratops. Josefina Cutter, if Owen recalled correctly. She was a senior vet assistant and had been with the park since opening. She handled the difficult cases, like isolation and quarantine, and she had worked with Dr. May over in Q1.</p>
<p>"Hey, Owen," the man greeted him.</p>
<p>"Consulting?" Grady asked, getting himself a bottle of water.</p>
<p>"In a way. Fina here wanted to pick my brain about socializing the trice they have here. It's a bit of a problem. She's a herd animal that can't be integrated into a herd and we have no other trice that could be used as a companion. We've been swapping ideas to maybe move habitats for the gallis and give them a way to interact without entering each other's territory. It might do the trice some good. Our gallis get along with the Valley inhabitants just fine."</p>
<p>Owen nodded. "Might work."</p>
<p>"Both are herd or flock animals and they love to socialize. I know it from mine," Reggie said. Just put them side by side and see what happens."</p>
<p>Fina nodded, already typing notes. "We'll give it a try. I wish we had a triceratops companion for the poor girl, but anyone would do."</p>
<p>Owen saw Alan walk back toward them and said good-bye to them, meeting his friend halfway.</p>
<p>"It's heartbreaking," the older man said after a while.</p>
<p>Owen nodded.</p>
<p>"Makes you want to hurt those people. All of them. The poachers, the smugglers, their buyers… and those too rich idiots who think dinosaurs are pets."</p>
<p>Another nod.</p>
<p>"I need a drink."</p>
<p>Owen chuckled. "Margaritaville?"</p>
<p>"Sounds about right."</p>
<p>"Watching baby dinosaurs?"</p>
<p>Alan laughed. "Sounds like a plan."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With hurricane season came a drop in regular tourist numbers and a rise in science groups flooding the park. The run-of-the-mill tourists wanted sunshine and no rain to enjoy each attraction, and only the very hardy or adventurous booked longer stays in the rainy months or even storm season. The hotels reduced their booking offers, had specials, and the park welcomed a lot of repeat visitors who had been to the island countless times before. Some staff knew those visitors by name and joked that they could be recruited as caretakers.</p>
<p>It was also the time the park offered behind the scenes special tours because of those repeat visitors. Guided experiences with select pass holders who had paid an extraordinary amount of money gave them a memorable glimpse into the world behind locked doors. Offers started with a day tour through the staff areas, watching caretakers handle their charges, prepare food and even muck stables. Some could accompany a vet or a vet assistant.</p>
<p>The more expensive packages offered up to a week of working like a keeper. Same hours, same physical work, seeing the animals and even feeding them, but never with the t-rex or the mosasaurus. Other carnivores had been okayed, though the baryonyx paddock needed prior screening and approval. It all still sold like hot cakes.</p>
<p>There was also a large opening for scientists of all fields to come to Jurassic World and study the dinosaurs without throngs of tourists. They took advantage of it and while some caretakers groaned about them swarming their enclosures, others were excited to talk shop with paleobiologists, botanists and behavioral analysts. There were more students, too, which was always both a blessing and a curse, in some opinions.</p>
<p>Gyrosphere Valley was usually shut down when weather didn't permit safe rides and the same went for the Cretaceous Cruise. It gave every scientist a chance to go out and watch those animals populating the sectors. Anything with a roof or underground access was still highly frequented, but with just about a quarter of the normal numbers in tourists, the park was relatively quiet.</p>
<p>Like all caretakers, Owen breathed a sigh of relief for the calmer times in regard to visitors, even if those times meant sometimes torrential rains, thick fog, and gusty winds. If winds turned into a hurricane, even the last visitors, tourists or scientists, stayed in their hotels and enjoyed a spa day or other luxuries. Some dropped by the inside shows and displays, played with the interactive holograms or watched movies all day long. Complete immersion included. Restaurants and shops had an up in sales as guests spent longer inside, ate more, had small parties or events, and the loved to shop when the weather didn't play along. The souvenir shops sold out a lot quicker than other times. To encourage more sales, storm season specials popped up which cleared storage and made room for new shipments that would come in the moment the worst was over.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The day had started out with a steady drum of rain on his roof, a muddy road, and Owen looking rather mud-splattered by the time he had reached his destination. He had been mailed a list of the visiting scientists and he was down at the ferry, decked out in rain gear, when Mick Dundee walked off the boat. The Australian waved, smiling broadly.</p>
<p>"Owen Grady! Still in one piece!" he hollered cheerfully.</p>
<p>Owen chuckled and shook the man's hand. Like his TV namesake, Mick was blond, sunburned and had bright blue eyes. He was approaching the big six-oh, but he didn't look a day over forty. He was a world-renowned paleontologist specializing in flyers, with two doctorates under his belt, and in the world of dinosaurs he was as famous as Alan Grant.</p>
<p>"Welcome back, Mick."</p>
<p>"Lovely weather," he commented.</p>
<p>"It's actually quite a good day today. You came in with one of the last ferries before Lola."</p>
<p>Hurricane Lola was already on everyone's radar, categorized as at least a 1 and possibly hitting 2 just before landfall, and Owen expected some interesting days ahead.</p>
<p>"Well, when you can come here outside tourist season you gotta take the opportunity, no matter the weather warnings."</p>
<p>"Sorna, too?"</p>
<p>Isla Sorna was absolutely off-limits to anyone, even those who would pay an insane amount of money to get a special trip. It was scientists only and even those needed approval, which meant a screening that could easily be compared to that of highly secret government facilities. They currently had a team staying there, under the watchful eyes of the security team.</p>
<p>"Nah. Last time was enough. Quite an adventure, but I'm too old for the constant adrenaline high. I'm spending time with the flyers. Eddie and I have been coming up with some interesting theories and I want to study those beauties up close again. How's life?"</p>
<p>They fell into easy conversation and Owen updated the older man on all that had happened as of late. Dundee was one of the few outsiders who knew about Owen's talent, though they had never talked about it in direct words. He was aware just how much Owen was woven into the four raptors' minds, what it meant, how he worked with them. He left out Dan's new role in the pack, as well as in Owen's life. That was private and would stay private.</p>
<p>"Any chance to meet your girls?"</p>
<p>Owen felt his shields come up and shutters drop down. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Mick's sharp eyes were on him and the older man nodded.</p>
<p>"Right. Understood."</p>
<p>"Listen…"</p>
<p>"No, no, it's quite alright. I understand. Very much. I know what happened with those interns and I guess a lot more happened after that. I'm good."</p>
<p>Owen hesitated.</p>
<p>Mick shook his head. "And no special treatment. Don't think you've gotta give in and show me around. You're their guardian. It's what you do."</p>
<p>He was silent as they walked up toward the employee entrance. Neither man had felt like taking the shuttle bus, even in this weather. Mick's things would be at his hotel room, thanks to the Hilton's transfer service, and the light drizzle wasn't too bad.</p>
<p>"After Lola. I wouldn't mind," Owen said after a while. "Really."</p>
<p>The paleontologist gave him a long, hard look, then finally smiled. "Thanks, mate. Set up a time. Text me. Or call. I'd love to say hello to those four ladies again."</p>
<p>"After Lola," Owen repeated.</p>
<p>"You got it. Not looking forward to sitting around with a hurricane outside, but hey, you gotta take the free spots when you can get them. Now, is Winston's still the best steak house this time of the island? And is it still open?"</p>
<p>"Sure is. C'mon. My treat," Owen chuckled and they headed toward the almost deserted Main Street.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lola came almost right on time.</p>
<p>NOAA, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather service, had predicted a possible category 2, at least for a brief amount of time, and they were right.</p>
<p>Everything had been secured, everyone had been warned to stay inside. The hotels were locked down, allowing no guests outside. Outside attractions had been secured, the shops barricaded. The animals had felt the dangerous weather hours in advance, moving to safer places, hunkering down, keeping quiet. Even the massive apatosaurs had grouped together, a little more nervous, a little more disturbed. It wasn't the first time, it wouldn't be the last, but each time was different and a new experience.</p>
<p>Lola only briefly touched Isla Nublar, the category dropping from a 2 to a 1 as it hit land, but it was enough to do some pretty bad damage in some areas. Owen had opted to stay in his place, though he had vacated the house and holed up in the stables with the pack. All four were exuding nervous energy, feeling the change in pressure, the electricity in the very air, and he kept a close mental eye on each of them in the pack bond. There were rumbles and growls, but as the worst hit, all were silent and listening to the howls and crashing noises.</p>
<p>Blue never left Owen's side, firmly attached to him. He stroked over her neck and flank, let the others nuzzle close, exuding calm and affirmation. Even Delta sought him out, whining softly, eyes darting to the closed doors now and then.</p>
<p>"He's fine," Owen told her, voice low and calm.</p>
<p>She huffed.</p>
<p>He wrapped himself into the pack bond, reaching for each of his girls, assuring them that Dan would be fine. He wasn't patrolling the dangerous outside. He was inside the control room, keeping an eye on matters, and everything would be fine.</p>
<p>Delta huffed, claws flexing. Charlie snarled at her, which got her a growl in return.</p>
<p>"Hey!" Owen snapped, eyes sharp and hard. "None of that!"</p>
<p>Carter was on duty, like all of the troopers. They were spread out all over the park, keeping an eye on enclosures, ready to go into action should a safety feature go out, an animal break free or whatever else might happen. No one was outside, though. There were rooms all over the park, hidden within the enclosures, perfectly camouflaged, serving as security and emergency shelters. All were hurricane proof.</p>
<p>"Charlie, cut it out!" Owen told her sternly. "Delta, you, too! We sit this one out as always."</p>
<p>But it was different from last year, he knew. Carter was now officially part of the pack, the alpha mate, and the others felt disquiet and a little edgy.</p>
<p>"He's fine, girls. Absolutely fine."</p>
<p>Blue nosed against him. You worry like us.</p>
<p>"Yeah, well… yes and no."</p>
<p>Yes, she insisted.</p>
<p>Okay, so he worried. It was normal. Human. He worried about the whole island, which included Dan Carter.</p>
<p>They settled down after a while. Owen leaned against his beta and regularly checked the updates on the park's security site. Aside from detailing the path of the storm and the waning strength, as well as the amount of rain coming down, no other alerts came in. Damage reports would come in later, when the worst was over.</p>
<p>"Everything's okay," he murmured.</p>
<p>Blue hummed, exuding calm confidence. It was just weather. They had no problems with the weather, had gone through enough storms in their lives.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The park had taken some damage, but it wasn't too bad. No worse than in the past and everyone was already busy cleaning up.</p>
<p>Isla Sorna hadn't gotten away with minor damage, though. The storm had hit Site B worse and control had been getting several updates from the security team, one worse than the other. There had been loss of communication a few times as the weather had influenced the connection and it had been worrying minutes and, at the worst of it all, almost a whole hour. When they had finally reestablished contact, the news pouring in hadn't been happy ones.</p>
<p>Carter's face was now a permanent scowl. His eyes were on the large screen that showed weather data, predicted the development of the storm, fed cameras live from all over the park, and had a list of all active troopers. He was following their updates, which told him that the situation within the park was under control. It was Sorna that was facing a real problem, and Hamada had already started on an evacuation plan.</p>
<p>"It'll be at least two more hours until we can safely launch any form of rescue," his second in command told him as he joined the chief of security in his silent vigil. "Flying is a no go and even the best boats won't survive those waves. I talked to the coast guard and had a long chat with maritime search and rescue specialists. The winds have to drop down below fifty for any rescue helicopters to launch. They are standing by with the high sea rescue boats. Our own boats are equally ready."</p>
<p>Carter nodded briskly, silently cursing the weather, and walked over to where the liaison to Sorna was quietly and calmly talking to the lieutenant in charge of Sorna security.</p>
<p>"How are they?" he asked when Hartwick had signed off.</p>
<p>"Holding on. Aside from the few minor injuries we already know of, there is one possibly broken arm. Two men are still missing. Lieutenant Carruthers also picked up a distress call from what he thinks is a boat. They might have been washed ashore in the storm, though he thinks they could have already been on the island and tried to leave."</p>
<p>"Poachers."</p>
<p>Hartwick nodded.</p>
<p>"Damnit."</p>
<p>"Carruthers speculated that if they were already on the island, they used the weather to get there and miscalculated the time window."</p>
<p>Carter nodded. "I want regular updates on this storm," he ordered, turning to Hamada. "The moment we have a window ourselves, we're launching. Two teams on stand-by. One for the rescue, one for the distress beacon. I know we're short-handed for such an operation due to the park, so I'm going with team two to find our ship-wrecked trespassers."</p>
<p>"Understood." Hamada was already on his tablet and going through available men.</p>
<p>"Tell the coast guard that we want them as back-up in case the possible poachers have friends. We're going to be the front line, not them." Carter nodded at Hartwick. "Tell Carruthers to stand by. He isn't to go out and look for the trespassers. The moment we are on our way, give him the updates."</p>
<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
<p>Dan walked past the row of monitoring techs and headed for armory.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rescue team left by boat the minute control greenlighted them. It was still raining. Not just a few drops but a literal downpour. It was already getting dark, but Carter wouldn't leave anyone on Sorna overnight if he could help it. While the science station was highly secure, there were injured people and one still missing. The other had been found stuck under a tree, totally drenched, with a twisted leg and bruises all over his body. He was in a good enough shape, though hypothermic and in need of medical attention.</p>
<p>By the time they were just ten minutes out from the landing point, Hartwick relayed Lieutenant Carruther's latest update. The missing person, one of the paleobiologists, had been located, safe and sound, though cold, wet and hungry. He was bruised, had twisted an ankle and banged up his knee, but seeing that so much worse could have happened, it was very good news.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Isla Nublar had gone through enough hurricane seasons to have very experienced staff and a maintenance crew that was prepared for the worst of the worst.</p><p>Owen hadn't been worried about Dan's absence. As the chief of security of an island that was more of a small town, Owen knew the park was currently Carter's priority. Compared to a real town, Claire was the mayor, Carter the sheriff, and both were extremely busy cleaning up the mess.</p><p>He had already talked to Claire, had gotten frequent updates on the condition of the sectors and each animal enclosure. Everyone had need of repairs, some with more priority than the others, and the troopers were everywhere to keep matters calm and structured. Now that the worst of the weather was over, controlling repairs and keeping the animals safe was their topmost priority.</p><p>The park as such was closed for tourists until safety could be guaranteed, and Owen had been in frequent contact with his fellow caretakers, getting reports from Laurel, Nancy, Reggie, Barry and everyone else.</p><p>The T-Rex Kingdom hadn't suffered any kind of serious structural damage. Rexy Sue wasn't a happy camper, but that was not unusual. Some of the trees had started to list, but that didn't need immediate attention. The Aquatic Park was doing absolutely fine. The Valley was a swamp, Reggie had told him, sounding amused. Apparently the herds were enjoying the mud baths. The babies were fine within their stables, all calm and not at all upset. The gallimimus had been stabled throughout the bad weather, too. Two panes of the Aviary looked like they needed to be checked. With the new net that could be extended and that kept the flyers from going all the way to the top, Eddie Molina saw no problems coming from that damage. The Cruise would be closed until the flooding was going down.</p><p>Owen's place was still standing and aside from needing to check the roof and check the paddock for anything that might have been blown into the habitat, he didn't need maintenance to assist either. He was convinced he would be able to repair his own roof if it were just a few shingles out of place.</p><p>So he spent the first few hours checking his home and determined that yes, he could do it on his own and even if it continued to rain, which was likely to happen, he would be fine. It was just too bad that the deck he had been working on had been hit by debris and was now missing a chunk of it. Well, more work to occupy him later.</p><p>He sent the pack into the paddock to scout for foreign objects, which gave them something to entertain their minds with as he picked up stuff around the house.</p><p>"Be diligent," he told them firmly. "And do not touch it. Locate, report back."</p><p>The barks and bellows that followed had him chuckle. And they were off.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It took them almost the whole day to clear out debris. The raptors were having a ton of fun, acting like bloodhounds and marking the place they had found a foreign object, leaving it to their alpha to decide whether or not it had to be removed. They went over their paddock first, which was mostly fine, then the grounds around the house and the paddock, and finally fanned out toward the whole area that was designated Owen Grady's 'homestead'.</p><p>Owen himself regularly checked the park updates and grimaced as he saw the list of damage. Park maintenance was busy categorizing everything into urgent, to do, and later. There was also the top priority list, which included carnivore enclosures and downed power lines, even though back-up was running flawlessly. The residential areas had a minor case of flooding and the hotel was busy cleaning up. The lagoon looked rather muddy and there was a lot of stuff floating around in it. Nancy and M would have their hands full. It would be great training, Owen mused as he studied the images. He would drop by and see how everyone was doing later.</p><p>He didn't even entertain the idea to call Dan to see how he was doing. The man had to be hip deep in everything, coordinating, supervising and probably right in the middle of the worst. Troopers would be all over the place to keep workers safe and stop unauthorized visitors from entering dangerous areas.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The raptors were all pleasantly exhausted by the end of the day, falling asleep right after digging into their meals.</p><p>Owen drove into the park and grabbed a sandwich, a large bag of chips, and some muffins, and headed for the lagoon. He might be tired, too, but he wanted to see if everyone was doing okay. It was where he also found Alan, who was watching the mosasaurus as she swam around the slightly more murky than normal waters. Nancy was with him talking animatedly, gesturing at M.</p><p>She waved at Owen when he climbed the stairs to the viewing paltform, grinning as he handed her a muffin. "You know how make a girl smile at the end of busy day."</p><p>He chuckled. "Hey, Nance. Alan. How's everyone?"</p><p>"M's a little miffed that she can't use the whole lagoon. There's dead wood over by the hotel lagoon and it has gotten stuck in the barrier. A new barrier was set up, keeping her in a smaller area, and while she has enough space, she doesn't like not being able to go there. I kept her busy picking up whatever's floating around."</p><p>Owen nodded. "Good training."</p><p>"Oh, very good. We even had two canoes and a rubber dingy in there."</p><p>"I watched them work," Alan told him. "Very precise work. You have come far."</p><p>Nancy beamed. Owen shared her happiness.</p><p>"Did you hear from the others?" he wanted to know.</p><p>"Everyone's okay, but busy cleaning up. How are you and the girls?"</p><p>"The same. And keeping as busy as everyone, I suppose."</p><p>"How's Carter?"</p><p>He shrugged.</p><p>Nancy frowned. "He hasn't called?"</p><p>He answered the question with a scowl. Alan laughed softly. She grinned and shook her head. Before Owen could say something, Serena waved at them. She looked a bit muddy and rather wet.</p><p>"Wow," Nancy laughed. "What happened to you?"</p><p>"Work happened. I'm helping out over with the babies. They're a bit unruly. Hey, Owen. How are you after our yearly hurricane?"</p><p>"Aside from a few missing shingles and a lot of rubbish to pick up? Fine."</p><p>"Lola dug up some of the botanical gardens and we really need to put a lot of work in that, but it's nothing we can't do." Serena ineffectively wiped at a mud stain. "I guess we'll be closed down for at least two more weeks. I've seen the weather reports. No cruise ships are going to brave that sea and more rain's hitting the islands in the next three days."</p><p>"More fun for the scientists," Nancy remarked.</p><p>"I need a shower," Serena declared. "And food. I'm starving! See you guys later!"</p><p>Nancy said her own good byes as they reached the staff only entrance that would lead to the shuttle station for the residents to be picked up.</p><p>"Say hello to your better half when you finally see him," she teased.</p><p>"A: not married. And B: he's got his job, I've got mine, and we're not constantly calling each other at work."</p><p>"Never said you did, but I would if he was mine. Especially after such a weather event."</p><p>"He's fine, Nance."</p><p>"Alpha feeling?"</p><p>Owen hesitated. In a way, yes. The pack was equally at ease. He also firmly believed that someone would have called him if something had happened to Dan. Claire, Hamada, Annika. Someone. Everything had been quiet on that front and Carter was simply caught up in what he did best: running security of Jurassic World and a whole island.</p><p>"Alpha feeling," Nancy answered her own question. "Alright. Take care. And thanks for the muffin." She winked.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He didn't call Carter. He wasn't a teenager with a crush who was so insecure, he needed to hear the other man was okay. Carter would probably ask him if he was feeling okay or had a head injury if he called him up and asked why he hadn't called himself.</p><p>That wasn't what them.</p><p>He checked the intra-net and grimaced at the endless list of occurrences all over the park. It was always the same after the bad weather season, but hurricanes usually meant a whole lot more work.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Owen was up bright and early, even before the sun was showing over the horizon, and drew up plans. There were uprooted trees, a lot of detritus, and some of the back roads had been washed away. Nature would take care of the damage to the local flora, but he needed to clear what was dangerous, and he wanted to check safety and stability.</p><p>Barry called him just as the sun crawled over the horizon and Owen was on his second cup of very strong coffee.</p><p>"Hey, how are you doing out there?"</p><p>"Everything's still standing. Nothing serious. Just lots of clean-up and some minor repairs I can handle," Owen reported. "I would have called."</p><p>Barry laughed. "Yeah. But if you need another pair of hands anyway, I'm game. The park's taken care of right now."</p><p>Owen would be a fool to decline.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>So Barry arrived about two hours later, eyebrows shooting up as he discovered the geared-up raptors.</p><p>"That's new," he pointed out, nodding at Echo and Charlie's outfit.</p><p>All four were ready to go, all wearing muzzles, and they were shooting impatient looks at Barry. Delta was rumbling, flexing her fingers, and Charlie was tapping her sickle claw.</p><p>"Modified the harness. It was an idea I had a while ago and just now got to use it."</p><p>"Looks like a trace harness you'd see on work horses." Barry inspected them from a distance.</p><p>"That's the idea." Owen patted Echo's neck. The raptor preened, just like Charlie, who looked absolutely proud to be involved. "They can work with the saddle bags and they can carry certain loads. I want to see if they can pull smaller obstacles off the back roads. One's absolutely blocked."</p><p>Barry nodded thoughtfully. "They are more maneuverable in tight spaces and you only need to move the blockade until the road's clear."</p><p>"Exactly. It's worth a try and they're all on board with it. Echo's the prime candidate because she's used to the harness. Charlie, too. I don't want Delta strapped into it because of the scars. I don't want to risk chafing."</p><p>Delta's lips peeled back from sharp teeth, her expression clearly relaying annoyance.</p><p>"Yeah, and she doesn't like to be reminded to them."</p><p>Not that the scars were a hindrance in any way. The barbed wire had left those marks and while they intersected her skin, the scar tissue didn't limit her mobility. Owen was simply careful.</p><p>Charlie huffed toward Barry, chittering.</p><p>"Charlie," Owen chastised. "Patience. I know you want to go, we all do, but right now we stand down."</p><p>She grumbled, shifting, the harness creaking a little. The modifications were a much broader chest piece, hip and back straps, and a padded collar around their necks, resting on the shoulders. There were metal adapters that could either be used for saddle bags or gear, making the modified harnesses multi-purpose.</p><p>"They can move normally," Owen added as he checked everything a last time. "I haven't taken them on a run just yet, let along the long route to the restricted area. Fingers crossed that nothing chafes."</p><p>Echo chittered, pushing at him, excited and ready to go and test her new gear. Charlie barked her agreement.</p><p>"Time to go," Barry translated.</p><p>"Yep." Owen grinned. He clipped on the cameras.</p><p>They were on their way not much later.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new harness system did work, especially with the branches and smaller trees. Like dragging trees with work horses, the raptors were attached to the chain Owen or Barry wrapped around the obstacle. They would then pull slowly, no abrupt movements, and after the only the second attempt moving in sync and listening to Owen's orders was easy. Charlie and Echo were enthusiastic and very, very proud when the road was reasonably clear. Delta and Blue had been watching until Owen had sent them off to scout.</p><p>"Works like a charm," Barry agreed when Owen checked the two work raptors.</p><p>There was no chafing and the skin looked fine. Neither of the two complained about bruises or discomfort. While they didn't have the sheer force of a work horse, they were strong and very resilient, and they quickly adapted to changing situations on their own.</p><p>Owen called for frequent breaks, always inspecting the gear, readjusting straps or adapters. When they took their lunch break, he removed the whole harness for Echo and Charlie to move more freely.</p><p>Barry had brought a cold lunch along and they spent an hour just watching the girls as they nosed around, chasing rodents or lizards, and Delta had started to dig around a bush to get to whatever had caught her attention. Blue watched her and when the rabbit sprung free out of another entrance, she chased after it, with Delta in tow.</p><p>Echo and Charlie both took it more easy, resting from their work, and Charlie actually dozed off for a while. There was a fond expression in Owen's eyes as Echo chittered softly and rested her head on his lap, asking for scratches.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Alright, we're done," Owen told them late in the afternoon.</p><p>He felt their exhaustion, even if the adrenaline kept them excitable and bouncy.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah," he laughed as muddy raptors barked at him, wanting to go on. "And no. Shift's over. You did good. Everything looks as good as it gets and all that debris will get cleaned away later."</p><p>Owen had been driving the ATV to every marked spot, loading the trailer he was towing, and he felt tired, too. Barry had hooked the trailer to his own ATV and had headed toward one of the dump sites an hour earlier. It had been a very successful day and he really wanted to get them to rest. They would be sore all over tomorrow.</p><p>Blue huffed and nuzzled at him, then barked at her sisters to get going. They would let the mud dry and flake off. It was good skin care anyway. Owen left them with some juicy beef ribs to dig into while he went and took a really necessary shower.</p><p>It was only when he was finally on his couch, feeling the pleasant exhaustion of a good day's work that he wondered how Carter was faring. There hadn't been a peep out of him and by now Owen did feel a bit worried, though he refused to call it that. He checked the park's communication board and found a ton of reports. He skimmed over the basic info and found nothing troubling. Until he decided to head over to the Isla Sorna security site. ISS, as it was jokingly called, was ablaze with brief reports and communiqués.</p><p>He sat up, alarmed, adrenaline driving the tiredness away. In his mind he felt Blue's attention shift from food to her alpha. He tried to calm down, refusing to be that kind of mate, but he felt the disquiet anyway.</p><p><i>Owen</i>, Blue insisted.</p><p>People had been injured and two had gone missing. ISS had been keeping everything contained, there had been no danger of a dinosaur attack as the animals were too busy waiting out the hurricane. None of the dinosaurs on the island was chasing after the humans with them on Sorna. There had been a lot of worry about the missing ones, but they had been discovered and while there were injuries, none had been life-threatening.</p><p>"Normal. Just… normal. Nothing serious," he said out loud while also using the pack bond. "Everything's fine."</p><p>He exhaled. This was Carter's job and rescuing people from Sorna was part of it when needed.</p><p>That was also the reason why there hadn't been a peep out of Dan. That there had been a distress signal from a possible smuggler was one hell of a reason.</p><p>"I'm good," he murmured.</p><p><i>You are not. You are worried.</i> Blue was so close, it was an almost physical sensation. The rest of the pack hovered the same way, pressing closer.</p><p>
  <i>It's okay, girls.</i>
</p><p><i>No</i>, she repeated. <i>You worry. He is your mate. He went on his own, without you.</i></p><p>Yeah, well. Sure. Of course he did. Owen wasn't security or had the training. He was ex-military, but not in any way that Dan had been. And he wouldn't dream of inserting himself in such an operation, just like Carter wouldn't interfere with dinosaur handling.  </p><p>But reading about a science expedition in trouble on Sorna dragged up all kinds of bad to worse scenarios. Owen knew Sorna wasn't a vacation spot and while none of the animals on Site B would sit in wait to attack anyone landing on the island, he, like all of them, was aware just how hostile the fauna was.</p><p><i>It's just a rescue operation</i>, he muttered.</p><p>He read through the incoming reports, then called Claire.</p><p>She sounded a bit harried, but also very much in charge when she answered.</p><p>"What's going on at Sorna, Claire?" Owen wanted to know.</p><p>There was a moment of silence, then a brief sigh. "The science expedition ran into trouble. There were some minor injuries, two a little worse, and one man was missing until maybe an hour ago. Search and Rescue was a success. Air Evac is already on their way back. Sorna's security is accompanying the rescue. Carter's team has also contained several possible trespassers. It looks like they were trying to use the hurricane to get onto the island and miscalculated the speed with which Lola hit the area."</p><p>Owen hissed softly.</p><p>"Sorna's secure, Owen," Claire told him firmly. "The whole operation lasted a bit longer than expected, but according to Carter's latest report they will be on the next evac flight."</p><p>"Damn."</p><p>Almost two days. Primarily to evacuate the men and women from Sorna, but also to find the boat that had sent the distress call and pick up its crew.</p><p>He could almost see her smile. "Yes. How are you?"</p><p>He knew a change of topic when he heard it, but Owen played along. His nerves were a bit calmer now, the alpha appeased, though he really wanted to just talk to Dan. He pushed that notion aside. Carter wasn't weak or in need of assistance. He was a damn former Special Forces operative!</p><p>He talked to Claire some more, gave her his own update, then hung up. He let his head fall back, staring at the ceiling. The pack was still close, a tightly knitted safety net around his mind, and he could almost see the single crack in that shield that led to his partner.</p><p><i>He is fine, Owen</i>, Blue told him calmly. <i>You would know if something had happened.</i></p><p>Maybe. But the connection didn't work like that.</p><p>It is enough to know.</p><p>"Do you know?" he asked, still staring at the ceiling.</p><p>
  <i>Yes. He is pack. Alpha mate. We know.</i>
</p><p>
Owen closed his eyes. Somewhere deep down inside he knew Dan was okay. It was one reason why he hadn't called or texted him. He had known, had been aware his mate was fine.
</p><p>
 Instinct.
</p><p>
  
    <i>Listen to it.</i>
  
</p><p>
  "Yes, mom."
</p><p>
Amusement floated through him.
</p><p>
Owen sighed and dragged himself off to bed.
</p><p>
It was how he fell asleep, the day's hard work finally demanding rest. Four sharp minds were curled around him, on guard and equally resting.
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A bit of a shorter chapter, mainly due to work. Hope you still enjoy it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While the hurricane had slipped past the islands, the rain had made a reappearance over night. The skies were gray and the downpour made roads slippery. It didn't stop staff from clearing away the last of the wreckage and maintenance from repairing the worst. There was a list of priorities and it was followed by the letter. The animals had been either locked in their stables or corralled, it either was a possibility. The apatosaurs could be neither of those two options, so Reggie Faulkes, head keeper of the Valley herds, had worked tirelessly with the lead female to keep the apatosaur herd from being underfoot. Becky was the matriarch and very receptive, following Reggie's gentle suggestions to keep away from the attractions that needed repairs and to remain calm and as far back as possible.</p>
<p>Security and wranglers kept an eye on the stegosaurs and triceratopes, while maintenance worked as quickly as possible without ignoring safety procedures. Safety was of utmost importance and if a project took longer because of it, so be it. No job was important enough to cut corners. After the i-rex, everyone knew to be extra diligent when it came to such things.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was just past sunrise that Carter's SUV pulled up outside the house. The road had been like a tiny river, but the InGen truck had had no problem navigating it. It was no longer black but covered in a thick, muddy crust. Windshield wipers battled the current downpour.</p>
<p>Four pairs of eyes were watching avidly and with single-minded focus as Carter got out of the car, dressed in rain gear. Nostrils blew wide open, scenting, and the sharp eyes took in his physical appearance, their senses already checking him over with the precision of a hunter.</p>
<p>Owen was on the porch, doing the same by sight only, eyes on the bruised cheek with the abrasions and the cut above one eye that spoke of a hard impact. There were no visible bandages, no band-aids, no cast, and Dan walked without a hitch.</p>
<p>"What the fuck…" he muttered.</p>
<p>Carter was in uniform, which was nothing new, and probably already on his way to work, taking the long route. Well, seeing him almost soaked by the time he reached the porch and the protection of the roof, he would have to change. The jacket protected his upper body, but his hair was plastered to the head and the gusts of wind had soaked one side of his pants.</p>
<p>"And a good morning to you, too," Dan replied with a smile. "Here I thought I would get a coffee before work."</p>
<p>"You drove all the way out here for coffee?" Owen asked. "In this weather?"</p>
<p>"I have it from reliable sources that you have a mean, strong coffee that wakes the dead."</p>
<p>"The way you look, one cup isn't enough. What the hell happened, Dan?"</p>
<p>Carter walked up the three steps to the porch and leaned in for a kiss, which Owen was only too happy to give. Water dripped off his face.</p>
<p>"Work happened."</p>
<p>"Go dry off," Owen murmured.</p>
<p>"You only want to get me naked."</p>
<p>"Hm, never crossed my mind, but don't mind if I watch," he shot back. The banter relaxed him and he felt the tension flow away.</p>
<p>Dan's eyes lit up with silent laughter and he walked into the house, bee-lining for the bedroom where he kept a spare uniform. Owen followed and leaned against the door jamb, watching the other man undress, dry himself off and slip into his spare pants. He toweled off his hair. Carter was clearly aware of his appreciative audience, who was checking the other man's body for further injuries. There was no visible bruising and Dan moved naturally.</p>
<p>"I'm okay, Owen," the blond answered the unspoken question.</p>
<p>"So what does the other guy look like?"</p>
<p>It got him a grin and Carter closed the distance, crowding him against the door jamb, claiming another kiss. "Guys. Five of them. Shipwrecked and absolutely down on their luck in terms of breaking about a dozen national and even more international laws, but very unruly when it came to getting rescued by us."</p>
<p>"I'll get that coffee and then I want the full story."</p>
<p>"And here I thought you wanted something else."</p>
<p>"You're not going to distract me with sex."</p>
<p>"Distract you from what?"</p>
<p>"Details, Dan. About your Sorna rescue operation and five guys who apparently tried to beat you up."</p>
<p>Carter chuckled. "Coffee first, then you'll get the briefing."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>With coffee in one hand and a bagel in the other, Carter gave Owen the abridged version. That involved five unlucky men who had tried to get to Sorna in the hopes of flying under the radar and grabbing some eggs or small dinosaurs to sell. According to what InGen security had finally gotten out of them, they hadn't been picky. There hadn't been an order list either. They had simply decided to go in, grab whatever they could, dead or alive, shells, eggs, bones, live animals, and make a run before Lola hit full force.</p>
<p>"They miscalculated," Dan said with a smirk. "Faulty or cheap equipment. From the looks of the boat, it was a rust bucket that shouldn't have been capable to even get them this far. Lola trapped them, smashed the boat and stranded them on Sorna. They had to decide whether to call for help and get arrested, or survive on Sorna. The odds of that are severely against any human being. It was the rock and the hard place for them."</p>
<p>They had managed to get two nests full of compsignatus eggs and four adults. Carter had freed the animals and left the eggs for ISS to handle. Compsignati were quite resilient and would return to nests that had been plundered or handled by humans or other animals. They would simply move their clutch, if anything of it was left.</p>
<p>Getting those five to come along had been a bit of trouble when two had made a break for it and the other three had decided to follow. It had resulted in quite of a scuffle, with Dan getting his face bruised. It was nothing bad, just painful, and not even close to a concussion. He would be good as new if he followed doctor's orders. Which he intended to do, since Svensson wasn't in the mood to treat him for even worse injuries.</p>
<p>"No idea where they were planning to go when they made a run for it. They called us, then wanted to do what? Overpower a security detail and grab our boat and gear? Make it back to mainland? I probably should have let them try," Dan added, chuckling.</p>
<p>Owen looked amused. "So, what do they look like?"</p>
<p>"Worse."</p>
<p>"Looking at you, they must be in Annika's care."</p>
<p>"Oh, they are in our care. Dr. Svensson wasn't inclined to have them in medical any longer than necessary. I only got one blow in, but Rasmussen wasn't having any of their escapades. That man isn't just built like a tree, he hits like one, too. They'll be handed over to Costa Rican authorities tonight."</p>
<p>"Wow, that's fast."</p>
<p>Carter raised his eyebrows. "After what happened last year, Masrani has good connections. Very good connections. Especially to the Costa Rican government. They don't take too kindly to unlawful entry of national waters and theft. The list they're slapping those guys with is long and getting longer. I think Estevan is already rolling out the red carpet to their cells."</p>
<p>Owen had never met the head of the Costa Rican equivalent of ISS; but Dan had a really good working relationship with the man and they had a silent understanding of how to handle trespassers.</p>
<p>"Do you know who they are?"</p>
<p>"You won't get names out of me. All I can tell you is that three are US nationals and two are Chilean. The moment they're off the island they're the problem of the Costa Ricans. I'm not interested what they do with them. Masrani is handling it from here on and his lawyers love to drag trespassers to court and sue their asses off."</p>
<p>Owen leaned back and blew out some air. "How are the science guys?"</p>
<p>"They're a scrappy bunch. The one with the broken leg wants to go back to Sorna with crutches ASAP." He shook his head. "Unbelievable. Annika's livid and has read him the riot act already, but he's just about to sign out AMA. We're not letting anyone outside our own people back there until the worst of the weather is over and ISS can confirm the safety of the station hasn't been compromised."</p>
<p>"Good plan."</p>
<p>"How are the girls?" Dan wanted to know, sipping at his coffee. "The house is still standing, you're in one piece, so… the pack all good?"</p>
<p>"Also in one piece. We had fun locating and removing wreckage yesterday. I need to work on the roof, but that's not really too bad. I haven't gotten much on the restricted area, though. I guess that needs a lot of clean-up."</p>
<p>Carter nodded, aware that these games were also training and bonding time in one. "Lorenzo told me that most of the cameras in the restricted area are down. Some are only missing the connection to the network, others seem to be permanently off-lined."</p>
<p>Owen knew. It was one thing he always checked. The restricted area was raptor territory, his territory, and he had already drawn up plans for an extended check of every camera and other surveillance equipment. He also needed to check on his little home away from home.</p>
<p>Dan's expression was knowing, filled with mild amusement as if he could already read those thoughts crossing Owen's mind.</p>
<p>"Give me another twenty four and I'm coming along with enough gear to repair and replace what has been taken down."</p>
<p>Grady blinked. "Come again?"</p>
<p>"I know you want to go out there right away. I know the girls want to check their playground. Give me twenty-four hours and I've handed over everything to Hamada, have the gear lined up that I already requested, and Lorenzo will have a list of things to check and do."</p>
<p>Excitement flood through him and it wasn't just his own. The pack was listening in, reading his emotions, and they were all on board with an extended mission into their territory.</p>
<p>"We'll have the time we need, Owen. Official security business, with a direct line to Lorenzo if needed. He'll handle the software, we do the hardware." Blond brows rose. "Deal?"</p>
<p>"Deal," he replied, stunned.</p>
<p>Carter rose, grimacing as he looked at the still rain-drenched world outside. Owen chuckled and dug out a large umbrella, handing it to the man. Carter took it, chuckling.</p>
<p>"I'll give you a heads-up on my ETA tomorrow. Rain should be over by tonight."</p>
<p>"Yes, sir." He snapped a lazy salute.</p>
<p>Dan rolled his eyes and gave him a kiss. "Thanks for the coffee."</p>
<p>"Hm, any time. Especially with that little show."</p>
<p>"We can expand on that later."</p>
<p>"Promises."</p>
<p>The pale gray eyes heated up a little. "I know some guy with a small but very nice holiday home in the restricted area. I think we can relocate there."</p>
<p>"You know interesting people."</p>
<p>The kiss was slow, deep, growing in depth and intensity, and when Owen pulled back Dan looked very much like he didn't want to leave.</p>
<p>"Hold that thought," he finally managed.</p>
<p>He was on duty. There was no way he would slack off to spend the morning with a romp between the sheets and while Owen wouldn't have been against it, he wasn't some hormonal teenager guided by his dick.</p>
<p>He watched Carter drive off with a smile on his lips and the jittery excitement of the pack and also of himself that they would be leaving for the restricted area. All of the pack together.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He was back almost exactly twenty-four hours on the spot. Carter was, for once, not in uniform, though his clothes looked almost like he was going on a military mission anyway. Owen had no doubt that he was armed.</p>
<p>Everyone was ready to go and Owen had loaded the gear and supplies for a week into the saddle bags that were strapped to Echo and Charlie, as well as his own machine. He had no idea what the old visitor center looked like, whether his place had been damaged or worse. So he had packed everything but the kitchen sink.</p>
<p>"Take the jeep and we could fit one in it," Carter teased.</p>
<p>"The roads we're taking won't permit a jeep."</p>
<p>"So no kitchen sink?"</p>
<p>"Nah. Knowing what a boy-scout you are, you can build us one," Owen laughed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were off late in the afternoon, the pack more than eager, and Owen could feel their excitement flooding through him. He sent them off to go ahead while he and Dan followed at a more sedate pace. He trusted the girls not to do something stupid, like scare patrolling staff or maintenance. They kept to the less travelled roads and Carter had cleared their route before taking off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The visitor center was still standing and Owen's place was unblocked, dry, and the power was running. Birds flew up, squawking angrily as they pulled into the clearing. Owen unloaded the bags and freed Charlie and Echo of the harnesses. He left the cameras on and each raptor had a small locator, which was a safety measure for their alpha and nothing else.</p>
<p>The sun was already setting and the clouds and light drizzle kept the men from going out again. Carter checked the structure once more, but there was nothing noteworthy. The old visitor center had survived the weather just fine.</p>
<p>The pack stayed out, scouting, hunting, reacquainting themselves with the area, and finally snuck in to get some sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was early in the morning with the fog still clinging to the ground and the sun not yet strong enough to pierce through the cloud cover. The weather forecast spoke of no more rain. A mild drizzle, maybe, but the rain front had passed.</p>
<p>"Sunny days from here out on," Owen teased.</p>
<p>"Makes our work easier," was Dan pragmatic reply. "Climbing around and replacing cameras and wiring isn't fun in a downpour. And we all know your track record with storms."</p>
<p>"Bite me."</p>
<p>Carter grinned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There restricted area had suffered some damage, mostly uprooted trees or flooding. Nothing that hadn't happened before, except for where part of a mountain had come down in a landslide, blocking an old road. Not that anyone used the road, but it was something that needed to be noted. Carter sat on the heavy duty ATV, assessing the situation. He looked at the map, made a few notes, then checked the GPS and his tablet.</p>
<p>"I think that's the worst," he remarked.</p>
<p>Owen was next to him on his bike. "Yeah. Not a problem. It blocks an old road, but there's a path not far away that might go around the landslide. If not, it's a natural barrier anyway."</p>
<p>Carter chuckled. "There's always a bright side."</p>
<p>They continued down the alternate road. The muddy path went right into the thick cluster of trees and bushes, snaking through the jungle and mostly around the landslide. Around them wild birds and monkeys called out, and now then a pig darted across the path.</p>
<p>The pack was somewhere in the jungle. Owen felt their excitement, keeping an eye on the pack bond but there had been no alarming emotions so far. They were being themselves, had an immense fun, and they were stretching both their muscles and their minds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The weather did get better, just as predicted, and by the end of the second day it seemed as if there had never been a bad weather front.</p>
<p>Gentle white clouds rode high against the brightly blue sky. The ocean gleamed a brilliant turquoise and the crests of the waves were a foamy white, almost unreal.</p>
<p>Owen stretched, groaning a little, feeling joints and tendons pop in a pleasurable way.</p>
<p>It was a brilliant day. Warm, but not too humid and hot. There was a breeze, remnants of the hurricane, that ruffled the grass. From deep within the tall growth of grass came barks and yips. Here and there a tip of a tail or a head popped up.</p>
<p>He turned to where Carter was talking with Lorenzo, comparing notes on which cameras they had already replaced and which ones were now up and running. They had lost ten cameras altogether and had replaced them all throughout the last two days. It had involved long hours of driving to each camera location, but also very satisfying to get work done, and it had given the pack absolute freedom. They had been coming and going by their own decision.</p>
<p>All four had spent a long time just exploring the area, but Blue had circled back a few times to check in on their alpha, until Owen had told her to just enjoy herself. They wouldn't go hungry or thirsty and he trusted in them not to get hurt. The last two times had taught them.</p>
<p>"Lorenzo says we're good. Everything's running," Dan said as he joined him. "I think the worst has been taken care of. A few adjustments, then we're good."</p>
<p>It had been two adventurous days, full of hard work and some colorful curses, but also a lot of laughter and good times. Especially when Charlie had taken a tumble down a muddy slope, squawking indignantly all the way. She had been covered in mud, leaves, small sticks and whatever else.</p>
<p>Two raptors burst out of the grass, chasing a terrified wild pig. It zig-zagged toward the bushes just as Echo burst out of her hiding place, sleek, powerful, all sinewy grace that promised a quick and merciless death. The pig squealed and made another run.</p>
<p>"They're not hunting," Dan remarked, watching them closely. "This is a game."</p>
<p>Owen nodded. "They're not hungry, but it's entertainment and also training."</p>
<p>"Plans?"</p>
<p>He shrugged.</p>
<p>Dan watched the hunting raptors, smiling a little as they chased whatever was stupid enough to still hide within the field of tall grass, crowing, yipping and barking.</p>
<p>"But I could think of some things to do," Owen added slyly.</p>
<p>The gray eyes slanted his way. "Oh?"</p>
<p>"Hm-mh."</p>
<p>"Should we review what you have planned?"</p>
<p>Owen chuckled and leaned over, catching a light kiss. "I think we can do without a review, recap and the power point presentation."</p>
<p>Dan let himself get pushed onto the ground, pulling Owen with him. "Agreed."</p>
<p>"Ass."</p>
<p>"Hm, good topic, actually, because I want yours."</p>
<p>"Hope you like switching, because I'm claiming yours."</p>
<p>"Your sexy talk needs work."</p>
<p>"I don't think so."</p>
<p>There was a light in those gray eyes that had Owen want to do so many, many things. Sweaty, naked, messy things.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carter knew he was a thorough mess. Owen didn't look any better, breathing hard, still laying half on him.</p>
<p>"Damn," he groaned, feeling twinges that would probably still be there tomorrow. It was a good burn.</p>
<p>It got him a breathless laugh. "You bring out the worst."</p>
<p>"I'd call this really good."</p>
<p>Owen pushed himself up, smiling at Carter's fond expression. "This is good," he agreed.</p>
<p>"Yep." Carter cupped his head and urged him into a kiss, lazy and sated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The week in the restricted area was like a vacation in another world. No one so much as sent a text to Carter and Owen's own radio stayed silent, unless he contacted Dan when they had split up to do more work. There was only them, the pack, the wild animals, and the freedom of the restricted area. Sure, there was surveillance and Carter saw some boats in the distance when he was watching the ocean, but he recognized them as security and patrol boats. Once he checked his scanner for the boat's call sign, confirming that it was one of theirs.</p>
<p>It was relaxing, though he never let his guard down completely. It was the wilderness and while the most dangerous predators were four velociraptors, it wasn't the park. It wasn't a controlled environment.</p>
<p>Owen worked with the pack, sending them on hunts or setting up games. Dan didn't mind being volunteered as a target to be found or chase a raptor in the hiding. It was good training for him, as well as the pack. He came up with new strategies and ideas, trying them all, and while it was almost impossible to escape a hunting raptor, there were ways.</p>
<p>Delta gave a frustrated yowl when she couldn't find him, and Dan finally whistled softly to alert her to his elevated position. Charlie joined her sister, looking at the target of their latest game, chittering. She looked impressed. Carter remained on the high rise he had climbed up on. It had been difficult, he had almost slipped off twice, but it had been a good choice.</p>
<p>Delta snarled, flexing her claws, then called at him. Charlie made a noise that sounded like sniggering and Delta snapped at her.</p>
<p>"Don't be a sore loser," Carter told her, holding the annoyed expression. "Live and learn. You're still ahead in points."</p>
<p>She made chug-chug noises.</p>
<p>He finally climbed down, carefully, slipping the rest of the way and landing safely on the soft ground. She kept her distance, head tilted, shifting a little on the spot. Dan watched her, intrigued by her behavior. While all raptors were free to come as close as they wanted, they stayed at a respectful distance from Carter while brushing up and against their alpha at leisure.</p>
<p>"They respect your energy," Owen had told him one evening. "And that you are still wary."</p>
<p>Delta's nostrils blew open, taking in his scent, and she hummed a little.</p>
<p>"Yeah, no," he chuckled.</p>
<p>Charlie and Delta followed him back to the camp, still respectfully distant, and the moment he was near the visitor center, they disappeared into the jungle again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mick Dundee came for a visit two days after they got back. Owen was relaxed and looking forward to the other man's company. Alan came along, making for a day of fun conversations and a vivid exchange. The pack was on their best behavior. Echo was excited to see her favorite human, Delta and Charlie were mostly bored by the scientists watching them, and Blue studied Mick in turn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They spent the evening grilling steaks and swapping fun stories, talking about family, friends and work, and generally having a good time.</p>
<p>"She's a good beta," the Australian told him.</p>
<p>"The best," Owen quipped. "How's the Aviary work?"</p>
<p>"Endlessly fascinating. As much as I love every dinosaur in this park, the moment it has wings I'm a goner," Mick laughed. "I had two days in the labs, with the eggs and the freshly hatched chicks, and I'm this close to adopting one!"</p>
<p>Alan chuckled. "You would."</p>
<p>"Just have to find a way to apply," Dundee teased. "I got to name the latest nest, though."</p>
<p>"Dear god," Alan groaned.</p>
<p>"Donk, Duffy and Nugget."</p>
<p>Owen rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>"Not a word, Grady. You went alphabetically," Mick stabbed a finger at Owen. "You're officially out."</p>
<p>"You named them after characters in a movie that has your name sake in it," Owen laughed.</p>
<p>"Not many get that reference. And I got the honors, so that's their names."</p>
<p>Alan grabbed another piece of sausage and dunked it in Mick's sauce. The man had made it from scratch, proclaiming it was one of his specialties. It was a fantastic mixture, sweet and spicy in one, and Owen knew he wanted the recipe.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mick watched the feeding just before nightfall. He and Alan drove off toward the residential area and Owen decided to spend the evening just playing couch potato. He read some mails and reports, then switched on the TV and enjoyed doing nothing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It hit home with Owen for real when he walked into his house about seven months into this… for lack of a better word… relationship. Partnership? No, that didn’t fit. Dan was so much more than a mere partner. The pack had had a clear place for him for quite some time, but in Owen's life he now was a solid fact that had been there for so long, he had no idea when he had started to incorporate the man into everything.</p>
<p>So as he walked in from the stables, just after nightfall, ready to turn in and enjoy a good book or maybe some TV, he found Carter in full uniform drinking coffee and scanning over incident reports of the day. He was on night shifts this week and had stayed at the paddock the whole weekend and today. All necessary gear was here. All his clothes, the comm devices, his weapons.</p>
<p>Pale gray eyes looked up from the tablet as Owen came in and headed for the fridge, passing by the table. Dan gave him a brief, warm smile, so at ease, so very much him and so private, Owen felt it hit a second time.</p>
<p>Strong emotions, he had called them.</p>
<p>He knew they were strong. Still unvoiced. It had been a slow process and now… Carter was here. Had been here for months; and the months before he had finally risked it all. This wouldn't change. Nothing could break this, he thought, possessive and happy in one.</p>
<p>There were soft echoes from the dozing pack.</p>
<p>"Owen?"</p>
<p>The calm, low question had him blink, aware he had been staring at Dan with single-minded focus. Now he met those patient eyes, unguarded. Still off duty despite the outfit.</p>
<p>"I think… I think I love you," he said slowly.</p>
<p>Carter's lips curled into smile that seemed to light up his whole person. "I think so, too."</p>
<p>Owen blinked. "What?"</p>
<p>Dan laughed softly. "I think you love me, Owen Grady. And I think it just now hit that preter brain of yours. Really hard. Hard enough to leave a lasting impression and drive it home."</p>
<p>"You are such a hoot, Carter."</p>
<p>"Hm, I know. Which is why you love me."</p>
<p>Owen hooked his fingers into the other man's belt, pulling him into a kiss. It was soft, deep, not trying to arouse, relaying so much.</p>
<p>"Probably. And some other stuff, too."</p>
<p>Dan's smile was fond, filled with amusement, and something that mirrored Owen's emotions.</p>
<p>"I love you," Carter said softly. "I know it."</p>
<p>"So do I," Owen replied with a cheeky grin. "I know that you love me."</p>
<p>"You're such a hoot," came the wry but definitely teasing answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Out in the paddock Delta cracked open an eye, then yawned and stretched. Echo was already asleep, Blue had just settled down, and Charlie was out chasing some nocturnal visitor. All were definitely not actively listening into the pack bond, but the emotions coming from their alpha were hard to ignore.</p>
<p>Blue huffed softly and Delta rumbled at her.</p>
<p>Finally.</p>
<p>Their alpha was sometimes rather hard-headed when it came to his own mind, his feelings, and the bonds he had created. Especially with his mate.</p>
<p>At least he usually got there in the end, even if the pack had to push a little here or there.</p>
<p>Blue's amusement was clear to feel and Delta mirrored it. Charlie finally came back, victorious in showing the intruder whose territory this was. She chittered and snuggled against Delta, who let her with only a small growl.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Life at the park and on the island continued as before. Owen enjoyed meeting up with friends and colleagues, training with Nancy and M, sharing coffee or something unhealthily sweet with Laurel and Josh, or riding around the Valley with Reggie as he checked on his herd. The pack was back to herding gallimimus for medical checks or maneuvering the more cantankerous triceratopes toward a preassigned area for training purposes.</p>
<p>Nothing happened. No accidents, no miscommunication, no incidents. Business as usual.</p>
<p>Isla Sorna was back to being the focal point of scientific expeditions, be it long-term or just for a day or two. Yes, it was quiet and Hamada liked to joke about it being too quiet. Carter just gave him long-suffering looks.</p>
<p>"Don't jinx it."</p>
<p>But aside from someone scraping a knee or twisting an ankle, no serious incident reports came in.</p>
<p>Q2 was running smoothly and two new rescues had arrived. The trice was happy with her gallimimus companions and Sinclair was thinking about opening up both paddocks for more social interactions. The new-arrivals had been placed without a hitch. One was a young stegosaur, barely two years old and really small, showing severe rashes, which were a result of various allergies. The other was another gallimimus, who showed no social interaction. She was isolating herself and had no idea what to do with another dinosaur. She watched them with either indifference or aggression and could only be approached by male caretakers. Her aggression was quite severe when it came to others.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Claire had been watching the developing relationship between her chief of security and the chief raptor behavioral analyst with interest. Owen sometimes dropped by to drag her to lunch, coffee or even an early dinner, and it was when talk inevitably did come to their partnership. She was happy for them both and she had told him, finally drawing his little confession out of him.</p>
<p>Owen had told Dan that he loved him.</p>
<p><i>Let there be fireworks, bells and hymns! </i>she had thought at the words. Finally!</p>
<p>It also meant this was now as serious as it could get and it needed addressing in a different way. Claire had called Simon Masrani to draw up something she had been thinking about for a while now, something that needed to be done in words on paper, signed by Masrani, himself, before the worst case occurred. Normally relationships among park personnel weren't of interest to the CEO of Masrani Global, but this was Owen Grady. A man with a powerful talent, a man who had four raptor minds interwoven with his own, and a man who had been given a lot of special consideration already.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was still bright and early in the morning, just an hour before the park was officially opening for the masses about to arrive. It was promising not to be just extremely busy but also sunny, barely a cloud in the sky, and temperatures were expected to be very warm today. It would mean sunburns, heat strokes and dehydration, coupled with a rise in sales concerning ice, soft drinks, sun creams, shades and hats.</p>
<p>Everyone was prepared. It was nothing unusual.</p>
<p>“Thank you for coming.”</p>
<p>Dan Carter stood with his hands clasped behind his back, almost fully to attention, eyes just a little left of Claire’s face. He was in full uniform.</p>
<p>“At ease. I’m not going to court-martial you, Dan.”</p>
<p>He relaxed only minutely, the face reflecting no emotions. “Miss Dearing.”</p>
<p>Claire grimaced. “Like I said, not a court-martial."</p>
<p>Those gray eyes met her own. And she made an inviting gesture at the seats in front of her desk. He almost reluctantly unlocked from his stance and sat down.</p>
<p>"How can I be of service?" he asked formally.</p>
<p>"This is and isn't park related, Dan. I normally wouldn't comment on a personal relationship unless it endangered someone's performance, park safety or animal health."</p>
<p>He tensed again.</p>
<p>"And we've known each other long enough for me to know that you would never endanger yourself, your partner or the very place you work at with your actions or lack of actions."</p>
<p>The tension was now almost palpable.</p>
<p>"I know not a lot has changed in the months you and Owen have finally taken the step into a more personal relationship, not even the dynamics, but there are important details regarding your connection with our resident Chief Raptor Behavioral Analyst that need to be discussed."</p>
<p>Carter's eyes were hard and flat. "I believe that is a very private matter. No matter who and what Owen Grady is."</p>
<p>"I would agree, except for one particular matter." Claire folded her hands and rested them on the desk top. "You have become part of the pack. More than before, I have to add."</p>
<p>His face closed off.</p>
<p>"I don't care what the employees of this park do in their free time, on vacations or when they aren't in the public's eye, as long as it isn't illegal, could compromise my park or could threaten the health, lives and safety of everyone on this island, the animals included. That being said, I'm very happy Owen finally got his head out of his ass and took that step."</p>
<p>His brows flew up at her straight forward words.</p>
<p>"We talk, Dan. Owen and I, we are very good friends and that means we talk about relationship stuff, too. But it also means you are now included within the hierarchy of the pack. A pack of highly intelligent, genetically engineered apex predators." She held up a hand as he opened his mouth. "I know it won't compromise your duty, nor would you ever step aside or turn a blind eye as to what those four might do. It simply means that you have become very much important to them. Because you are important to him."</p>
<p>"Don't you think the shovel talk is a bit early? Or might come from the wrong person?" he added with a wry smile.</p>
<p>"Oh, it's not the shovel talk. I know you wouldn't hurt Owen. It was painful for many to watch the two of you creepingly slowly realize that you liked each other a little more than just friends. You are probably very much aware of what Owen Grady's designation of alpha to a pack of raptors means?"</p>
<p>He raised his eyebrows. Pointedly. "Yes."</p>
<p>Claire smiled. "Of course. Do you also understand that his life is more or less confined to this island? He won't leave them and move somewhere else. He is connected to them on a level that separation might kill them all. Not separation by leaving for a family visit or a vacation, but permanence."</p>
<p>"I very much understand that, too."</p>
<p>"Which means that you, Daniel Carter, are now part of that as well. The whole package."</p>
<p>"I've been made aware of it," he answered neutrally.</p>
<p>"Yes, Owen heaped it on you to make you reconsider." Claire barely refrained from rolling her eyes. "He mentioned something."</p>
<p>"Among other things."</p>
<p>"And still you said yes."</p>
<p>"We're not married, Claire."</p>
<p>She shook her head. "That's what you think. You are part of the pack. In term of hierarchy and structure, you are the alpha mate. Owen has connected to you on a level no human should be able to, and while it's neither telepathy or empathy or something equally bad, there is something between you that's not just emotions. He gave you a place, put you into this tightly woven pack, and you let him. You have it bad, Dan."</p>
<p>"Probably."</p>
<p>"And you're not going to transfer out of the park because of another, better offer."</p>
<p>He gave her another pointed look. Claire knew Masrani paid exceptionally well, that no other company would be able to match what Carter was getting in terms of money and benefits.</p>
<p>"And while you have the option to leave for whatever reason, Owen won't follow, Dan."</p>
<p>"I know," he said calmly.</p>
<p>Claire looked into the roughly handsome face, met the hard, unyielding eyes. She knew Carter hadn't fallen heads over heels into this and neither had Owen, but leading up to the real point of this meeting had needed those words.</p>
<p>"That being the case, Masrani has made some arrangements concerning your case, your employment, and your status as Owen's partner."</p>
<p>He blinked. "That's… fast?"</p>
<p>"Probably. But your relationship has been in that new stage for a while and some matters are best taken care of right away. As of now, you fall under the same consideration as Owen Grady."</p>
<p>Owen had an iron-wrought contract that the raptors couldn’t be taken from him, nor could anyone move him from the island. Should the island fall back to Costa Rica because the lease wasn’t picked up again, Owen would still be a recognized inhabitant. He would have the option to move somewhere else, though.</p>
<p>Including the pack.</p>
<p>Now that included Dan Carter.</p>
<p>"You can't be terminated and relocated. It's up to you to step down should you feel the necessity to do so, but even should Simon Masrani no longer be the CEO of Masrani Global, no one can replace you. You are fixture now; same as Owen."</p>
<p>He stared at her, clearly overrun. For the first time there was a crack in Dan Carter's façade, in his shields, and he was floundering. "I… what?"</p>
<p>"You are part of the pack. You are part of Owen, Dan. Masrani recognizes your standing and won't interfere with the safety and sanity of the pack."</p>
<p>"But… we aren't… this is still new…" he stammered.</p>
<p>Claire had never seen him so lost, so at a loss. She gave him a sympathetic look.</p>
<p>"Somehow I doubt that in the end this is just a fling. It sure isn't for Owen. And this is now part shovel talk: don't hurt him, Carter. Don't use him. And don't betray him."</p>
<p>"I'd have four raptors tearing me a new one," he said wryly.</p>
<p>"Oh, I'd be first in line, believe me." She grew serious again. "I think this, between you two, is serious. Really serious. Owen wouldn't have made that step."</p>
<p>"I know," he said, voice low. "Neither would I have. I'm quite aware of how badly this could have upset the pack balance. I'm without a shred of preter talent."</p>
<p>Claire nodded. "But they accepted you."</p>
<p>He gave a one shoulder shrug. "I am very serious, Claire. I don't want someone else."</p>
<p>"Good."</p>
<p>"But don't expect a ring."</p>
<p>She laughed. "Oh, I won't. Your personnel files have been changed to reflect your status, though."</p>
<p>"Not in a legally accepted way, though."</p>
<p>"In case that is necessary, that can be made to happen."</p>
<p>"Masrani."</p>
<p>Claire nodded. The man had the power to protect them or make things happen.</p>
<p>"Does Owen know?"</p>
<p>"Yes. We talked about it."</p>
<p>Dan blew out a breath.</p>
<p>Claire leaned slightly forward. "Nothing changes, Dan."</p>
<p>"Except that I now have a job for life? And even if I quit, I can remain?"</p>
<p>"More or less."</p>
<p>His eyes flickered over to the large window that showed nothing but blue sky and the promise of a wonderful day.</p>
<p>"Okay."</p>
<p>Claire smiled. "Okay?"</p>
<p>He lifted a corner of his mouth into a humorless smile. "Yes." Carter pushed himself into a standing position. "It changes nothing, Claire. I'm in this for good. For life. Whether or not I remain an employee of InGen doesn't change who and what I am to Owen and the pack. Ring or no ring. Papers or no papers."</p>
<p>"No, it doesn't," she agreed.</p>
<p>Dan gave her a little salute and left. Claire just leaned back, smiling to herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They met up at the end of Carter's shift and Owen pushed a chocolate milkshake into his hands. It looked like ten thousand calories in one innocent little cup. With whipped cream and sprinkles. Carter's brows shot up.</p>
<p>"That bad?" he teased.</p>
<p>Owen slurped his shake. "Nope. Just needed the sweetness. Didn't want you to feel left out."</p>
<p>"Well, thank you," he said dryly. "I might just be able to work it off with a few extra rounds around the lagoon."</p>
<p>Owen smirked. They were standing near one of the auditoriums. It was currently between shows and not very busy.</p>
<p>"Claire told you?" he asked.</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>There was a slightly apprehensive look into the green eyes and Carter bumped their shoulders together.</p>
<p>"It changes nothing. Actually, it just cements the fact that we're in a relationship, Owen. Masrani made it official in our files. Claire said he would prepare the correct papers should we want to dot the last i and cross the final t."</p>
<p>"We're not married, Dan."</p>
<p>"Might as well be."</p>
<p>Owen stared at him. "What?" he stuttered.</p>
<p>"We might as well be," Dan repeated patiently, well aware that Grady had heard him the first time. "Preternaturally speaking anyway. It's not something you can easily scribble into any paper, though. Your abilities are a little bit left of a myth and straight out of the scientifically unproven. Legally I can't claim alpha mate status in case of medical emergency. It doesn't matter that the right people at the park know. It has to be legally acceptable."</p>
<p>"You're taking this well."</p>
<p>"After everything, what did you expect?" he asked with a lazy drawl, swirling the straw through his shake.</p>
<p>Owen groaned. "Yeah, what did I expect."</p>
<p>A group of excited kids stormed past them, all carrying books, heading for the auditorium.</p>
<p>Carter sucked at the straw, eyes alight with laugher. "You want a ring?" he asked when his lips released the straw.</p>
<p>Owen coughed and stared at him. "What?!"</p>
<p>Another shrug.</p>
<p>"Dan… no!"</p>
<p>"Alright."</p>
<p>"Ass," Owen muttered.</p>
<p>"No cursing in front of the kids."</p>
<p>"Bite me."</p>
<p>"Ditto."</p>
<p>The children group had long since entered the auditorium and Carter was grinning broadly around the straw.</p>
<p>"See you later," he finally said. "And behave."</p>
<p>"Hardy har-har."</p>
<p>Dan just waved and was off, throwing the empty cup into a bin. Owen grinned and made his way toward the Visitor Center where they were already hanging up posters for the anniversary of the first Jurassic Park celebration. Additional tours were offered, with behind the scenes walks, and specials concerning the history of the place and its founder. Laurel had already moaned and groaned about the extra tours that would go through the T-Rex Kingdom, since Rexy was the only original dinosaur from those days. Alan would be hosting panels and readings, as he had told Owen, and he was actually very much looking forward to them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, so sorry for the long wait. Writing was a no-go for the past few days. I pulled something in my neck and you have no idea how painful it was to just turn my head. Writing was an absolute no-go. Heat pads and pain meds helped and I'm now a lot more mobile and finally finished this chapter. Enjoy!</p><p>Any typos are due to little sleep and too much pain meds :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The anniversary celebrations lasted almost two week and were busier than the holidays. The park was filled to capacity, the hotels were bursting at the seams, and Carter's visits dropped to zero. The man was either on duty or asleep. Security was on high alert from day one to the very last minute before the park closed down. Sales were skyrocketing, there wasn't a ticket left or a seat unclaimed, and while there were the usual incidents and complaints, nothing catastrophic occurred.</p><p>Sure, there were the protesters. Some always managed to get into the park or at least onto the island. There were floods of angry comments and reminders on the social media sites, citing what had happened decades ago, warning against worse to come. Claire handled the media attention like a pro and Simon Masrani was at the park for the whole two weeks.</p><p>Owen had to give it to the billionaire: he was an absolutely professional and he had the press eating out of his hand within minutes. He fielded questions, drew smiles and laughs, had the attention of the whole press corps from the first minute, and no one could beat him rhethorically.</p><p>Rexy Sue, the center of attention of three special tours a day, was taking it in a stride, absolutely disinterested in the celebrations. She viewed the throngs of visitors like the seasoned t-rex she was, amused by their fascination and fear, projecting just enough menace to scare some of the weaker ones even more.</p><p>"She's enjoying it," Josh said with the tired sigh of a man who had been overrun by over-enthusiastic fanboys and girls.</p><p>Owen watched the so deceivingly empty paddock. He could feel it, that sharp mind, unique among the many of the park. She knew she wasn't able to escape, unless security failed, but she was entertaining thoughts of how human flesh might taste again. She was one of the most dangerous animals in the whole park. More dangerous than the raptors or the mosa. M wouldn't chase after any idiot who fancied a swim and would eat them. Rexy was only waiting for a delicious snack to make its way into her enclosure.</p><p>And Josh felt it. He was extremely receptive and his shields weren't as instinctive as Owen's.</p><p>"She's behaving, though," he added with a little dark smile. "Just barely."</p><p>"Well, it's over now."</p><p>"Yeah. Thankfully. Having ten year olds puke all over the place wasn't as fun as it might sound."</p><p>Owen laughed. "I can imagine."</p><p>"Laurel says it put her off kids of her own for good now."</p><p>He snickered.</p><p>Somewhere deep within the trees, the t-rex was watching, listening, waiting. She didn't move, but he could almost pinpoint where she was perfectly camouflaged. It would be so easy to drop his shields and feel her completely, to touch that sharp, alien mind, but Owen wasn't stupid, nor so inexperienced to think he stood a chance to come out of such an encounter without another set of scars and problems.</p><p>He felt the presence of his safety net, the viciously jealous pack, who were openly hostile when it came to encounters with the rex.</p><p>"Back to normalcy," Owen just said as he pushed away from the paddock both physically as well as mentally.</p><p>"I'm so looking forward to it! And my three days away from the crazy."</p><p>He shot the other man a quick smile. "Have fun."</p><p>"Well, I'm just spending a few days in civilization. San Jose. I'm really looking forward to that."</p><p>"Have fun." Owen gave him a little wave. "And don't do anything Laurel wouldn't do."</p><p>Josh laughed. "That's a very short list, Owen."</p><p>"But a good one."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The pack was a little restless when he came home. Blue brushed up against him, humming, and Owen caressed her long neck. There hadn't been much time to move outside the paddock, sneak around the perimeter of the enclosure, and Owen decided tonight would be the night to remedy that.</p><p>Go see your mate, Blue suggested slyly. We'll be fine.</p><p>"Sure you will. Now let's get some training in before dinner," he told the pack in general, sending them off to their assigned spots. "Eyes on me!" he ordered.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Owen woke to excited barks coming from the paddock and he rolled out of bed with a soft groan. It was early morning, too early after last night's extended training, and he yawned widely. The pack's excitement washed over him and he caught on to Delta's happiness to see Carter.</p><p>"Wow," Dan laughed as Owen staggered out into the open, still in boxers and a t-shirt. "Too early for you."</p><p>"Late night."</p><p>"Sorry to wake you then."</p><p>"I can think of worse reasons to be thrown out of bed by a pack of excited ladies."</p><p>Dan laughed and held out a thermos. "I chalk that bad pun up to you being half asleep."</p><p>Owen grabbed a mug and poured himself coffee, then groaned in delight when Dan also handed over a small doggy bag that contained a cheese bagel. There was also a box of donuts; pink with sprinkles, sugar powered with jam filling, and glistening with chocolate.</p><p>"You are a god," he sighed.</p><p>"Inflate my ego, will you."</p><p>They settled on the steps leading up to the porch.</p><p>"Coming or going?" Owen asked after half the bagel was gone.</p><p>"Coming, actually." He raised his eyebrows.</p><p>Owen smiled and bit into the bagel. "Staying?"</p><p>"Forty-eight hours."</p><p>"Sounds good."</p><p>There were calls from the paddock and Carter chuckled. "I can hear that. Plans?"</p><p>"Shower, more coffee, getting dressed, really a lot of coffee, and then I'm wondering what one Dan Carter would think about a fishing trip."</p><p>Carter grinned. "I think he wouldn't protest. Go shower. I'll handle the coffee supply."</p><p>"Really good plan," Owen agreed. "I like it."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The pack loved it, actually. Not just spending time outside or having the whole pack together, but also chasing fish and trying fishing themselves. Charlie proved to be quite an avid fish catcher. The water cooled them off and they rolled around in the grass until they were all just too tired to move.</p><p>Owen was very much preoccupied with cooling down himself, which did involve water and then some rolling around in the grass himself.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>When Simon Masrani came by, it was after prior announcement. As the owner of the park he could come and go wherever and whenever he wanted, but he respected certain aspects and boundaries. Like Owen's unwritten rule that no outsider could just come by willy-nilly. Aside from Carter, and maybe Alan Grant, no one just drove up to the raptor paddock. And Owen had been the one inviting Masrani to come by and visit.</p><p>"Owen," he shook Owen's hand, "I'm sorry for not getting back to your invitation any sooner."</p><p>"I've seen the hullabaloos wherever you went. I'm quite glad you didn't decide to dodge your fans and have one of them track you here."</p><p>Masrani chuckled. "It was quite an event. With very good press. So how are you and your ladies doing?"</p><p>He glanced toward the locked gates. The raptors were milling around, watching the new-arrival with curiosity coupled with wariness. In Delta's case there was also grumpy annoyance. Owen had no idea what had made her mood plummet, but she had been pissed-off the whole morning.</p><p>"We're fine. All good."</p><p>He nodded. "Good to hear."</p><p>Simon walked over to the fence, eyes on the attentive raptors. Blue was following his every move, lips lightly twitching. Delta was growling a warning and Owen shot her a sharp look.</p><p>"Hey," he said softly. "Best behavior."</p><p>Simon smiled at her growly huff. "She hasn't changed. I'm happy to see they are flourishing. All of you are." He gave Owen a knowing look.</p><p>Grady refused to be baited.</p><p>Masrani studied the raptors and they were studying him in turn. Charlie snorted at him, then barked and trotted off, deciding he wasn't that interesting. Echo chittered. Blue tilted her head and chug-chugged.</p><p>"Coffee?" Owen asked.</p><p>Simon gave him a quick smile and followed him to the house.</p><p> </p><p>He stayed for almost three hours and Owen found he didn't mind. Simon Masrani was a very approachable, down to earth man. Despite all his money, he wasn't aloof, throwing his wealth around, running the park like an investment and treating everyone like assets. He knew what he owed the people who had stuck around after the i-rex disaster. He knew that to cover it all up, he had had to rely on his employees. Even money wouldn't solve every problem; loyalty couldn't simply be bought. He had learned from his mistakes, from trying to create a new attraction that had killed too many people, and Jurassic World was a place Owen was proud to work for.</p><p>"Out of curiosity…" Owen started slowly as they watched the pack from the viewing area.</p><p>Masrani raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"Carter."</p><p>Simon smiled. "You think it was too forward of me to assume you were more than an affair among employees?"</p><p>Owen grimaced. "When you put it that way…"</p><p>"I'm not known for involving myself into my employees' private lives. As long as it doesn't concern me personally or endangers my business, I'm not interested. But this is you, Owen Grady. You have my attention and you know your status on this island. I'm also quite aware of what it means for you to allow a personal relationship of this magnitude. That told me a lot more than anything else."</p><p>"So you gave Carter special consideration."</p><p>"Yes," was the simple and easy answer.</p><p>"We might just split again."</p><p>Simon's brows rose again. "Really," he remarked wryly.</p><p>Owen tried not to roll his eyes or glare. He failed at the latter.</p><p>"You and Mr. Carter going separate ways is as fictitious as you leaving your pack behind. You would never go, sacrificing them. You would never sacrifice Carter either."</p><p>The words had Owen's eyes narrow, a sharp-edged warning in his very posture. Masrani's loose-limbed, open posture reflected no threats.</p><p>"You are the most grounded person I know. Someone who doesn't do such things lightly or without giving it a lot of thought. I also talked with Claire beforehand." Simon leaned on the rail, smiling as he watched Echo chase Delta around. "Dan Carter is part of this," he said, nodding at the four raptors. "Part of you. You are the alpha of Isla Nublar. You let him in, gave him a place, and Mr. Carter is not only a natural alpha himself, he had a place with you before all that other stuff happened." He turned his head and met Owen's eyes.</p><p>"Other stuff," he snorted. "Yeah."</p><p>"I protect my assets," Masrani said. "But you are not an asset. You are a human being with an incredible talent. You have grown while you worked here, have been forced to take leaps in what you can preternaturally do. It gave you a power that should be frightening, but I know how much it takes out of you, Owen. I know how much you don't want to be able to do what you can do. Mr. Carter is something you didn't count on. He is someone… normal." Masrani quirked a smile. "And he has become someone important."</p><p>There were barks and squeals from below as Echo caught up to Delta and the two scuffled, then Delta was off again, disappearing into the trees.</p><p>"I consider you a friend, Owen. A good friend. You saved me. You saved everyone at this park. You and those four remarkable ladies. You aren't just a number or a resource for me."</p><p>"I know," he said quietly. "You gave me those four remarkable ladies. Millions of dollars and decades of research."</p><p>Simon shrugged. "It was the right thing to do. And so was changing a few things about Dan Carter's status on this island. He is important to you and the pack. Now it's on paper, in different words, and no one can terminate him or move him to another post."</p><p>"Thanks," Owen said after a long moment. "For everything."</p><p>"I can never repay you for what you did."</p><p>Masrani pushed away from the guard rail and they walked back down, heading toward the jeep the man had driven here himself. There wasn't as single trooper to be seen. He stopped at the car and stuck out his hand. Owen took it, shaking the hand.</p><p>"Will I see you at the dinner party?" he asked, eyes reflecting amusement.</p><p>Owen grimaced. "Yeah, sure."</p><p>Simon chuckled. "It's not mandatory, but there is free steak."</p><p>"Well, if you put it this way…"</p><p>Another laugh, then he got into the jeep and drove off.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He did go to the dinner party, which wasn't as formal as he had feared. Still, he was wearing a suit, which was a rare thing for one Owen Grady, and he got to see Dan Carter in one, too. The man looked decidedly hot and that alone had been worth all the formal stuff.</p><p>Claire, all in white as usual, gave him a knowing look as they stood together. And a wink. Owen glared at her.</p><p>"Ms. Dearing, Mr. Grady," Carter greeted them.</p><p>The smirk was… yes, it was sexy. Yes, the man looked like he could easily introduce himself as 'Bond. James Bond', but Owen still gave him the evil eye.</p><p>"Agent Carter," he shot back.</p><p>Claire grinned. "That would make me M, wouldn't it?"</p><p>"And I'm who?" Owen demanded.</p><p>"The Bond girl," Carter quipped.</p><p>"Well, I'm out," Claire decided, retreating.</p><p>"Bond girl?" Owen asked.</p><p>Dan's easy smile had him want to kiss and kill him both. "The prettiest."</p><p>"You like to live dangerously."</p><p>"Hm, I've been told." Carter leaned against the wall, watching the proceedings around them. There was a lot of meet and greet.</p><p>"Didn't think you'd be here."</p><p>"Official capacity."</p><p>"Out of uniform?" Owen teased.</p><p>"Actually, I am. Undercover." Dan's brows rose a fraction.</p><p>Owen rolled his eyes. "You look as undercover as a raptor in a tux would."</p><p>"I take that as a compliment, coming from you." Carter gave him a brief, private smile.</p><p>Owen really wanted to leave right now; with Dan. And he wanted to peel that tux off him; slowly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He got the chance after a very good dinner in very good company.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Carter's hand ran over Owen's warm skin, caressing it, exploring the other man's body, until it came to rest on a very prominent scar on Owen's hip.</p>
<p>They both knew how it had come to be, who had given him that injury and why. Dan had seen it many, many times before.</p>
<p>Blue. Blue had done this to him, but not to harm her alpha. It had been the moment he had broken apart, had split into every mind on the island, and Blue had brought him back through the sharp pain. It had been her claw digging into his skin, making him bleed, and dragging his self back into his mind. The injury had healed, but the scar had remained.</p>
<p>Dan kissed his chest, his belly, then leaned over and mouthed at the scar, making Owen shiver a little. He was too spent to feel any form of arousal, but this was different. It was a different sensation; more intimate.</p>
<p>“I love you,” Owen murmured. "I love you, Dan Carter."</p>
<p>The calmness in the gray eyes had him want to lose himself in that serenity. As balanced and grounded as Owen was on any given day, seeing this soul-deep strength had him want to touch it, connect to it, wrap it around himself.</p>
<p>"You think or you know?" Carter asked, voice low and teasing.</p>
<p>Owen was slightly distracted by the hand on his hip, the thumb rubbing gently over his skin. He finally caught it.</p>
<p>“I know. Idiot."</p>
<p>"You are a romantic soul, Owen Grady." Dan smiled, pressing his lips against what warm skin was in front of him, drawing a little laugh. "And a sap."</p>
<p>"Learned from the best."</p>
<p>"Didn't know Blue was romantically inclined."</p>
<p>He grimaced. "Very funny."</p>
<p>"I'm known for my comedic qualities."</p>
<p>Owen pulled him into a sloppy kiss. "I know I love you," he finally said.</p>
<p>Dan's expression was open and warm. Owen so very much wanted that crack and the resulting bond to give him a deeper connection, to have Dan with him, to maybe let him sense the pack and what a beautiful thing it was.</p>
<p>Carter's hand cupped one unshaven cheek. "Deep thinking," he stated.</p>
<p>"Yeah. Wishful thinking, too."</p>
<p>Blond brows rose.</p>
<p>"You are part of the pack and the pack bond, but you can't sense them."</p>
<p>"Because I'm not a preter."</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"Don't get me wrong, but I think I'd prefer to be in my own head and alone in my own head. If you had the ability to give me this 'in', I'm not sure my untalented mind could actually take it. It's not something I'm wired to do."</p>
<p>Owen nodded slowly, sitting up.</p>
<p>"And I'm as close to you as I can be. I'm closer to the pack than any other human being. I can't feel them, but you said they are aware of me as pack. It makes me different, but it doesn't turn my brain into pudding."</p>
<p>He laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, no, it doesn't."</p>
<p>"I'm quite thankful for that." Carter smiled humorlessly. "As I said, I'm not born that way. I would never be able to stomach touching another mind. Josh is a preter and I see what the t-rex does to him, how her powerful mind near-overwhelms him. I think I would be in an even worse condition if you had been able to make this into a two-way road."</p>
<p>"Yeah," was the quiet reply.</p>
<p>"I also don't need it to love you, Owen Grady."</p>
<p>"Sap."</p>
<p>Carter chuckled then yawned. "Staying?" he asked lazily.</p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And that was that. Owen stayed the night, absolutely unhurried and with no worries about the pack.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen finally did call his parents. He talked to them a lot, actually. Aside from his friends at the park, his family were the only other people who knew about the depth of his preternatural abilities. Or that he had those abilities at all. They talked about everything concerning the raptors, his life, the park, and whatever else came to mind. In turn his father or mother or both told him about what was going on in their lives, the neighbors, the trips they made, about work and friends, about other relatives.</p>
<p>They also came at least twice a year, sometimes more often if flights were cheap, though they declined staying throughout the off season when hurricanes were the biggest threat. There was a limit to their adventurous spirit, though his mother had once or twice remarked it would make a very relaxing holiday, just enjoying the hotel spa. His father hadn't been as enthusiastic.</p>
<p>The Gradys had free entry to the park and the hotel charged them the employee rate for the cheapest room, upgrading them each time to a better one. Owen knew that Simon Masrani had offered a low budget flight pass to them, but they had declined.</p>
<p>"We're not royalty," his mother had told him when she had revealed that piece of information to her son. "We'll gladly pay for a ticket to see our only son and his extended family."</p>
<p>She hadn't declined limitless spa treatments, though, which had given Owen's father food for relentless teasing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Telling them about Dan was both complicated and not really all that much more complicated than everything else in his life. Owen wasn't ashamed of him, or himself. It was just… who was Dan Carter to him, for him, when he introduced him? Their relationship was… well, a relationship. It was difficult to put into words what Carter represented and what Owen felt when the man was with him, when they were together, be it intimately or just hanging out. There was no urgency, no possessiveness, no pink clouds or butterflies. There was desire, yes. Owen Grady was a red blooded human male. He also wasn't blind to how attractive Carter was. He loved him. He had connected to the man on a preternatural level – and Dan wasn't even talented himself. They were tightly interwoven, but there was no definite bond like to the pack.</p>
<p>It was… yeah, complicated.</p>
<p>"If you call me your boyfriend we'll have to talk, Grady," Carter said evenly, gray eyes flat and unrelenting, when he mentioned his thoughts.</p>
<p>Owen grimaced. Boyfriend sounded like they were twens at best. Or a teenage crush.</p>
<p>"Domestic partner?" he teased.</p>
<p>Carter threw a pillow at him. "Next you call me a romantic interest or just lover."</p>
<p>He chuckled. "I think calling you the alpha mate when talking to my mom and dad is a bit… much."</p>
<p>"Is this what's keeping you from coming clean with your parents about me?"</p>
<p>Owen blinked. "Uhm, no?"</p>
<p>"Uhm, yes," Dan corrected him. "You're stalling."</p>
<p>"Am not!"</p>
<p>You are, Blue interjected unhelpfully.</p>
<p>Now the peanut gallery was chiming in, too!</p>
<p>He is your mate, she added, making it sound like it was the most natural description in the world. For the raptors it was. For anyone else, anyone human anyway, it wasn't.</p>
<p>"Do I have to have a title?" Carter asked reasonably.</p>
<p>"Well, it's not a title…"</p>
<p>Pale blond brows rose.</p>
<p>"Significant other?" Owen tested the waters.</p>
<p>"Run it through a thesaurus and whatever you get, it's not fitting," Carter told him.</p>
<p>"I know."</p>
<p>"And I think your parents will understand more of this than you think. They are your parents, Owen. They've known you for a really, really long time."</p>
<p>"I know."</p>
<p>Dan tilted his head. "So?"</p>
<p>He sighed. "Okay, okay, I'm thinking too much again."</p>
<p>"At least this time you reached that conclusion a little faster."</p>
<p>Blue sent her agreement, backed up by the other three raptors. Owen knew he was agonizing over matters that hadn't even happened yet, might never happen, but he was agonizing nevertheless. He knew his parents and he knew there was no judgement to be expected. He wasn't scared of outing himself, of telling them he was bisexual and that his chosen mate was male.</p>
<p>It was just…</p>
<p>Blue gave him the equivalent of a cuff to the head and he startled, startling Dan in turn.</p>
<p>"What?" the blond asked, frowning a little.</p>
<p>"Blue," Owen groaned.</p>
<p>"Ah."</p>
<p>That Dan didn't need more of an explanation had him love the man even more than before. If that was at all possible.</p>
<p>"Good girl," Carter added.</p>
<p>And there went the love. Owen glowered at him and got up, deciding now was the time to turn to physical work to take his mind off things. The side of the shed needed some sanding down.</p>
<p>Carter chuckled and caught him before he left, brushing a kiss over his lips.</p>
<p>Yep, right back into love again.</p>
<p>"Stop thinking so much, Grady. Just call them, get it over with. It's like the famous band-aid."</p>
<p>"Did you tell yours?" he challenged petulantly.</p>
<p>"Actually, yes."</p>
<p>Owen stared at him. "When?" he demanded.</p>
<p>"A while ago. I think one of my sisters is planning to come here for Christmas." Carter's eyes were alight with amusement.</p>
<p>Owen's narrow-eyed glare bounced off him, had him smile even more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dan Carter made a tactical retreat, claiming meetings and training exercises for select troopers. Owen just took to sanding down the shed. Thoroughly.</p>
<p>The pack was watching, either through the connection or just milling around, enjoying the sunny weather and the mild breeze. Echo decided that the dust billowing around the shed wasn't fun as it made her sneeze, and Charlie had discovered an interesting new burrow not far away. She was busy stalking whatever had been stupid enough to make up a home so close to the paddock.</p>
<p>Owen was a dusty mess by the end of the day, but he felt a lot calmer.</p>
<p>Blue padded over to him, inspecting the thoroughly dusted man. Owen was covered in a fine layer from head to toe.</p>
<p>
  <i>Quit stalling.</i>
</p>
<p>"I was working, Blue. I work here. I get paid to work here," he told her, slapping at his clothes.</p>
<p>She sneezed.</p>
<p>Owen grinned and headed over to his house. Part of him was very, very glad she couldn't just call his parents. Any of the four would be able to dial using his keyboard, though nothing with a heat sensitive or finger printed touch pad, but none could talk to his parents. He was very, very glad indeed.</p>
<p><i>Don't tempt me</i>, Blue told him. And it sounded like it was a challenge she just might accept.</p>
<p>Owen groaned. Great!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Showered, enjoying the late evening warmth, he finally called. Before Blue might make good on her non-verbal threat to attempt it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His parents did understand. His mother was smiling happily, warmly. His father just nodded.</p>
<p>"The pack accepts him. That's what's most important," he said calmly.</p>
<p>"They do."</p>
<p>"I think we have to fly out there and get to know our son's SO," his mother teased, eyes sparkling with mischief.</p>
<p>Owen groaned. "Mom…"</p>
<p>Sophie Grady laughed, but Owen knew she was serious about coming to Isla Nublar soon. "Tell him hello from his kinda in-laws."</p>
<p>"Mom, we are not married!"</p>
<p>"He's the alpha mate," his father replied reasonably. "Your mate. In human terms that equals a life-partner. Whatever term you might want to attach to it, it means you are married. Dan is part of the pack structure and his place within that structure tells me just what he is in the eyes of the raptors and possibly other dinosaurs."</p>
<p>"I'm not the damned island alpha!"</p>
<p>Nathan Grady's expression said it all. Owen pinched his eyes with a thumb and finger.</p>
<p>"What happened back then… it's not who and what I am, Dad," he said. "I'm not the island alpha and I don't want to be. Ever."</p>
<p>"You have the power with you, son. Always. It's something you have to deal with. You can't undo what has happened."</p>
<p>"I know. I'm still not planning to branch out. The pack's enough."</p>
<p>"And Dan," his mother added with a smile.</p>
<p>"Yes. Dan and I are… new. All of this is new. Well, not all. Just the… relationship stuff."</p>
<p>"Oh, honey, we don't plan on flying over within the next twenty-four hours," his mother soothed, laughter changing into empathy. "I'm just happy you found someone, someone you trust, whom the pack trusts, whom they accept. I know it's very new. Your dad and I won't go after him with the usual questions. You are both grown men and Dan Carter has been vetted by the most jealous and ferocious guards."</p>
<p>Owen flushed a little.</p>
<p>"I'd love to get to know him. Not just as the man in charge of security, but also the person who is by your side," she went on. "But in time. No rush."</p>
<p>They talked a little more, about this and that again, about possibly visiting throughout Thanksgiving or even earlier.</p>
<p>When Owen switched off, he leaned back and ran a hand through his hair. He closed his eyes with a soft groan. It had gone better than expected, but somehow still not as he had thought it would. And knowing his mother, they would be here as soon as she could arrange for it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dan was grinning when he told him. "I'm looking forward to meeting your parents."</p>
<p>They had met for lunch break at Cretaceous Cruise pier. It was a busy day, but there were little nooks and crannies only the staff knew about. And security. So while they were able to watch the river, they had the privacy from the throng of excited people. Carter had long legs stretched out in front of him as he sat on a bench made of logs, chewing on a homemade sandwich.</p>
<p>Owen gave the chief of security a dark look. "Sure."</p>
<p>"Hey, I've met your parents before. I like them."</p>
<p>Another dark look. "You'd say that. When do I get to meet yours?" he challenged.</p>
<p>Carter shrugged lazily, finishing off the sandwich. "I can talk to them. They are currently on the other side of the world and plan to stay there for a while. Maybe they want to fly out here and meet my partner… SO… whatever you want us to be. Dad loves to video chat, though. He might just ask for a chat."</p>
<p>Owen shook his head. "Right."</p>
<p>"I don't see the problem."</p>
<p>"Right."</p>
<p>He chuckled and bumped shoulders. "They know about the pack. About you being their alpha. They know how deep this goes. And now they know about me."</p>
<p>Owen scrubbed a hand over his face. "Right," he repeated for the third time. "We can do this."</p>
<p>"I can," Carter drawled. "Not so sure about you."</p>
<p>"Oh shut up, Dan."</p>
<p>Carter slipped in front of him and cupped his face. The kiss was barely there, but it was deep nonetheless. He smiled at the slightly stunned expression. They rarely if ever showed such closeness and such intimacy outside their home.</p>
<p>"Will do," Dan purred.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a year, almost on the day, since the Sorna raptor incident. A year since Owen’s psychic outbreak had upset close to all dinosaurs in the park, in their public enclosures or behind the scenes, and had more or less stopped the annual post-inventory barbecue.</p><p>This year, everyone had made sure their resident raptor whisperer stayed out of trouble. Claire wouldn’t sign off on him leaving for the restricted area, no matter his reasoning, and while he understood the caution, what were the chances of something like this happening again?</p><p>“In your case?” she asked wryly. “One hundred percent.”</p><p>“Now that’s unfair.”</p><p>“No, it’s a realistic estimate.” She handed him a pad. “Go and help the others. We have dinosaurs to count. Themming decided to use the inventory days to inoculate them. After the diarrhea outbreak we want to be on the safe side. I take it you can handle yours without him?”</p><p>“Yeah, no problem.” He skimmed over the To-Do list.</p><p>And it was no problem. While Charlie wasn’t happy about shots and Echo behaved liked it was the worst that could happen to a lethal predator of her standing, Owen saw no problems he couldn’t handle. If he had witnesses, he would use the cattle stands to fixate the girls and do it the regular way. If he was on his own he would do it his way.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was Carter who was present when Owen loaded the injection gun. It had been specially made for dinosaur skin, which was a lot tougher than even an elephants.</p><p>He was watching everything with a tense concentration, ready to act in whatever capacity needed. He was in full trooper gear, right down to the body protection and armed, because he had come off shift and dropped by Owen’s place to keep an eye on matters.</p><p>“It’ll be fine, Dan,” Grady teased. “No force needed.”</p><p>It got him a scowl and narrowed eyes. “With you, nothing is ‘fine’, Owen.”</p><p>Charlie rumbled and Echo whined a little, while Delta tried to be indifferent, but she still eyed the injection gun warily. Blue was keeping an eye on matters as the beta. She clicked at him. Carter met her disapproving gaze and his lips curled into a wry smile.</p><p>“It’s an injection. Humans tend to have all kinds of violent and sudden reactions to a little prick. Your girls are pure muscle and sharp teeth and claws. One flinch can eviscerate a man in a second.”</p><p>Delta snarled, clearly offended. She flexed her long fingers. Echo sneezed as Charlie gave Dan the stink-eye. He met the outraged stares with raised eyebrows, clearly not affected.</p><p>"Ladies?"</p><p>Delta chittered and huffed at him. Her tail whipped from left to right and she danced forward, then back, almost as if inviting him to come in.</p><p>"Not a chance," he murmured.</p><p>"Do I get any more supervision?" Owen asked.</p><p>"Nope. The whole park is like an ant-hill and my men have more important areas to handle."</p><p>"Ouch. We've been downgraded."</p><p>Carter gave him that unimpressed look. "You are a level all of your own and as chief I have the dubious honor of handling you."</p><p>Owen winked mischievously. "Handling me. What a hardship."</p><p>"You are high maintenance, Grady."</p><p>He leaned over and wasn't surprised when Dan didn't stop him from stealing a kiss. Even though he was technically on duty. "You knew that going in." He held out the gun to him. “Want to help?”</p><p>“No thanks. You do your thing, I do mine.”</p><p>Owen grinned and turned, walking into the enclosure. “Blue, front and center. Let’s give our chief of security a demonstration.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It all went off without a hitch. Charlie whined more than it truly hurt, ramping it up, but Blue gave her an annoyed bark and she chittered, slinking off. Delta hovered near the gate, glancing at Dan now and then.</p><p>"Yeah. Big bad raptor. I get it," Carter murmured.</p><p>She straightened a little more, tall and imposing, baring teeth.</p><p>"Really impressive."</p><p>She turned her head and pushed her nose through the bars as far as she could, snorting. Carter scratched over the offered nose with two fingers, drawing a pleased gurgle. Delta had dialed down her attempts to get Carter into the paddock and interact with the pack. She still sought him out, sometimes offered, but she no longer so absolutely miffed when he didn't take her up on it. She also didn't have that crestfallen puppy look that Echo had perfected when it came to Alan Grant.</p><p>Delta would be close when it came to pack outings or training exercises, with or without the additional fun of InGen troopers. Carter let her, but he didn't reach out to pet the raptor or actively stepped closer. It was a game they had developed, a line neither one crossed and yet it always fluctuated.</p><p>Warm air blew over his hand and Dan smiled, then turned to Owen, who had left the paddock, carrying the container with the vaccine.</p><p>"That's done. I'm heading over to Q2 for the rest of the day. Do I get a police escort?"</p><p>Carter grimaced. "Not a police officer. Not an escort service."</p><p>"You'd make a great escort."</p><p>"If that's your best come-on, Mr. Grady, you better work on your sexy talk."</p><p>Owen grinned and smoothly crowded against him. Carter raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"On the job?"</p><p>"You know me. Life at the limit."</p><p>Carter kissed him. "Of course."</p><p>Owen would have liked to prolong Carter's stay, maybe have him out of the uniform or even in uniform with some strategic nudeness, but they both had jobs to do and they weren't twenty and without a care anymore.</p><p>"You do get a security detail, though," Dan murmured after a last, very dirty kiss that tested Owen's resolve.</p><p>"Sounds very good."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Carter followed him to Q2, spent some time touring the facility and talking to his troopers, then left for a meeting. While the employees of the park, all staff hands on deck, were counting animals, plants and stock, security had their own yearly inventory of sorts. Part were helping with the more dangerous dinosaurs, others were catching up on required training that wasn't just running obstacle courses. It was more of a matter of catching up on the latest in tech, surveillance, gear and more. It meant having courses, web based training and hitting the electronic books. Some of his men even printed out their scheduled reads because they hated reading on electronic devices.</p><p>For Carter it meant endless meetings with the higher ups. Clare and Masrani included. He caught up on Sorna matters, had long, very interesting talks with the security detail stationed at the quarantine units  both of them – and he flew out to meet Captain Estevan, the head of the Costa Rican security that patrolled the waters.</p><p>Yes, everyone was busy. Very, very busy.</p><p>As Carter left for his umpteenth meeting, Owen stayed on, spending time at each enclosure and checking on the healing rescues. Times like this he was glad he wasn't in any way part of the chain of command and didn't have to sit in on whatever was going on. He knew he would be bored to death within minutes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He took the long way home, enjoying the ride, the weather, just being himself. It felt good.</p><p>Owen stopped at one of the lookouts and just took in the breathtaking view, the ocean, the sky and the island. He closed his eyes, the bond humming and gently vibrating inside him. He felt each of his girls and he felt Dan's solid connection to them all. The crack would be there forever and he loved it, wanted it. In the back of his mind was the seemingly endless mass of other minds, all distant, all blurry and surreal, but they were there and he could touch them if he wanted to. Some stood out, but no more than a second, then they were drowned out again.</p><p>Whenever he was around M, he felt her mind. Sharp, predatory, always watchful, but easier now. More sedate. She had learned with Nancy, from Nancy, and her caretaker had learned from her in turn. She was more laid back. She was almost serene in some moments, but never docile.</p><p>There was also Sue, who was the opposite to M. Just as sharp and watchful, but with a lot more edges, a lot more cunning, a lot more hunger, and a lot more scars. She accepted no one, not even Owen, though he was the only one who could overpower her, command her. She had no respect for the handlers, saw them as nothing but unimportant, but probably very tasty presences. She would step over and on them without remorse.</p><p>But Sue would think twice about attacking Owen, physically or mentally. She had found out just how powerful this one, weak human being was when he had fractured.</p><p>Some pack leaders stood out, like Becky, but they were never aggressive in an offensive way. Should something threaten their flock, pack or herd they would become defensive, but unlike Rexy Sue, they weren't carefully watching for an opening.</p><p>Owen felt his mind reach along the old cracks. The pack grouped around him, jealously guarding, refusing to let anyone else touch their alpha or their alpha reach out on a more personal level.</p><p>He could.</p><p>Owen knew he could do it, and probably survive. He had the safety net, the shield and the anchor to do it. His father had told him that he had the power and it would stay. He knew that. He was very much aware of it.</p><p>Owen simply didn't think that it was a muscle he needed to train. He had done it once, his very first time, and it had hurt like hell and it had taken him a very long time to pull back and be himself again. Just himself.</p><p>There was movement and he glanced over his shoulder, not the least bit surprised to discover Blue, with Charlie, Delta and Echo in the background. His beta looked decidedly annoyed. Delta was more in the area of pissed-off.</p><p><i>Do not!</i>, she ordered sharply.</p><p>"I wouldn't."</p><p>Blue walked over to him, clearly not believing a word he said. <i>You don't need them.</i></p><p>"I don't. It's just an ability I have. I think my dad was right that to understand it, to control it, to not lose control or live in fear of losing control, I might need to train a little more."</p><p>There were uneasy growls and rumbles from the pack and Blue snapped at him, angered.</p><p>
  <i>We protect you, alpha. We are your pack. We protect and guard. Your mate protects and guards.</i>
</p><p>He felt something run through him, something powerful and warm. Her words launched emotions inside him, feelings, memories.</p><p>"It's something I can do."</p><p>
  <i>Yes.</i>
</p><p>"And I need to understand it."</p><p>
  <i>You already do.</i>
</p><p>She brushed up against him and Owen automatically leaned into her presence, their presence. She nuzzled against his neck.</p><p>
  <i>You have this ability. We share it with you, but we don't share you, alpha.</i>
</p><p>He hugged her. "I don't share you either," he murmured.</p><p>The others crowded in, looking for snuggles, rumbling and humming.</p><p>"How come you're here?" Owen asked after a while, putting some sternness into his voice.</p><p>Blue gave him that innocent look; one totally unbecoming an apex predator. <i>We took a walk?</i></p><p>He rolled his eyes and pushed Charlie off him, sliding past Echo and Delta to get to his bike. There was an insistent beep from his comm.</p><p>"Grady," he answered, glancing at the caller I.D. It was Barry.</p><p>"Hey, Owen. Say, you got your girls with you?" came the fake cheery response.</p><p>Owen shot the pack a dark look. None of the four looked particularly contrite or guilty, let alone like they regretted bailing the paddock and homing in on their alpha.</p><p>"Yep, they're here. All four."</p><p>There was a French sigh of relief, which actually sounded more like a curse.</p><p>"You're at the paddock?"</p><p>"No. One of the new cameras triggered."</p><p>Owen gave the pack another dark look. This time they did look a bit guilty.</p><p>"It was them," he confirmed.</p><p>"New position, hm?"</p><p>"Yeah. Anyone on alert?"</p><p>"No. Lorenzo gave me a heads-up- He's manning those motions sensor cams. He didn't get a good image, just some back and tail end."</p><p>Owen muttered something uncomplimentary. "We'll be home soon. It was a training exercise."</p><p>He could just imagine Barry's expression, which would reflect 'Why don't I believe you?' quite clearly.</p><p>"See you," he added, then turned to the pack. "Home," Owen ordered. "Don't let anyone see you this time."</p><p><i>They didn't see us coming here</i>, Delta replied, testy.</p><p>"They did."</p><p><i>They didn't know it was us. It was training</i>, Blue added with a sly tone to her voice.</p><p>"Uh-huh. Pull the other one. Off. We'll talk about this later!"</p><p>They followed the order, disappearing in the jungle and becoming nothing but shadows. Owen got back into his bike and took the official road that was winding along the coast and then veered off deeper into the island.</p><p>Yes, sometimes he did feel like the single dad of four teenagers. Very dangerous, apex predator teenagers, but teenagers nonetheless.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Barry was there when he stopped at the paddock. The raptors were in their enclosure, as if they had never left, and Devoe looked a mixture of impressed and terrified.</p>
<p>"Don't give me the training excuse," he said when Owen walked over to where he was sitting outside on the porch. "I'm not some newbie intern. I know you and I know them. What happened?"</p>
<p>Owen sighed and sat down beside him. "They kinda came to the rescue."</p>
<p>"Uh-huh. What kind of trouble did you get in, after Claire's express orders not to do anything of the sort?"</p>
<p>"I was just driving around," Owen protested. "Inside the park! Not even close to the restricted area."</p>
<p>"Which is even worse, because they followed you there."</p>
<p>"Nothing happened!"</p>
<p>"Nope, not believing it."</p>
<p>Owen scowled at him.</p>
<p>"So?" Barry prodded.</p>
<p>He shrugged. "I was really just driving. Stopped at an overlook. Thought about a lot of things. It was something my parents said. Well, my dad. About my abilities, my talent. I've gone past my limits and now have access to a lot more than I had before. More than I'm used to. He said I need to learn to deal with it."</p>
<p>Barry stared at him, mouth open. "Please don't tell me you tried to… you didn't, did you?" he finally demanded.</p>
<p>"I didn't," Owen said immediately.</p>
<p>"But the pack reacted. That's why they left."</p>
<p>He nodded.</p>
<p>Barry groaned. "Man! You are certifiably crazy. A crazy son of a bitch, Owen Grady! I know you have an insane amount of talent, always had, and that you levelled up, but…"</p>
<p>"I didn't drop my shields!" he argued. "They're just… overprotective."</p>
<p>"With your track record? I can believe it!"</p>
<p>There were calls from inside the enclosure. Barry gestured at them, driving his point home. Owen rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>"I'm not going to split apart at the seams again!"</p>
<p>"Well, I hope not. Last time was bad enough. I don't want to be there to see the fallout and pick up the pieces should you do it again. I know I could never understand what you do, what any of the preters at the park do, but I know it would be an idiotic move on your part."</p>
<p>Owen pinched the bridge of his nose, as if he was feeling a headache coming. There was a slight pressure, but it was the very front and center presence of four raptors who wouldn't let their alpha branch out and away from them.</p>
<p>"I won't, Barry. I didn't want to do it the first time. It was pure survival and self-defense. I can sense them all now, but I'm not drawn to even the most singular minds."</p>
<p>"So you're not a moth," Barry stated wryly.</p>
<p>"Nope."</p>
<p>"Good to know."</p>
<p>There were more chuffs, barks and bellows, interspersed with growls, and they all sounded aggressively defensive. Devoe raised his eyebrows.</p>
<p>"Yep, they are protective. Explains them breaking out and coming for you, if you so much as tried to go past your shields. Good to know they're your guards, Owen."</p>
<p>He shrugged, but inside softer, warmer emotions washed through him. He loved them, would protect them just as fiercely, and he knew they were unwaveringly loyal. It had been driven home when they had defied the powerful i-rex's presence as a possible alpha, turning against what could have been kin to stand by their human parent and pack alpha. And then when Owen had just barely held his own against the three Sorna raptors and had been on the verge of losing his mind in the vastness of the island's dinosaur population. None of them had ever tried to exploit on any of his weaknesses, physical and mental, least of all his beta.</p>
<p>Blue was almost right next to him in his mind, flowing along the pack bond to take her place at his side.</p>
<p>
  <i>You protect us. You are our strength. We would never leave you.</i>
</p>
<p>He hugged her, smiling softly.</p>
<p>"Tomorrow, bright and early?" Barry asked, changing the topic. From his smile and the expression in his eyes, he was quite aware that there was a pack moment happening. "Gallimimus Valley?"</p>
<p>"We'll be there."</p>
<p>He gave Owen a clap on the shoulder as he rose. "See you. Ladies, keep him out of trouble!" he called over to the paddock. "Sit on him if necessary!"</p>
<p><i>Don't you dare!</i> he told them sharply through the bond.</p>
<p>Blue just laughed in his head. She would stop him, he knew, was being told in not so many words. She would step in and stop him from cracking and breaking apart again. She and the pack, and even Dan Carter. He was part of this. Passive, but very important nevertheless.</p>
<p>Owen was really, really glad they wouldn't be able to tattle on him to Dan. Carter wouldn't be amused.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning tools and gear, taking stock of what needed to be repaired, then went through his grocery list and last but not least his medical cabinet. Both his and the raptors'. The pack was dozing in the sun, enjoying the not too hot or too cool afternoon.</p>
<p>Owen finally grabbed a few things, including his tablet, a bottle of water and his coffee thermos, and settled in the shade inside the paddock. None of the girls had ventured outside, though the gate wasn't locked, and Blue settled beside him as he made himself comfortable. Echo was taking a sand bath and Charlie was sleeping somewhere in the dense foliage that made up a good part of the paddock. Delta was patrolling, keeping watch. She finally joined Echo and the two of them scuffled a little, dust and sand billowing around them.</p>
<p>Owen went through his mails, then read some interesting reports or scanned through the various Sector feeds, keeping himself updated on what was new. Blue was sleeping next to him.</p>
<p>He called it a day when the sun had gone so low it was almost night. The temperatures had dropped and he was feeling hungry. It was echoed by the pack and he fed them, making it a game and training in one.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nothing else happened. Counting gallimimus heads was actually quite fun and exciting, and Echo and Delta herded a sick galli toward a corral to be examined by the vets on site. The older females didn't appreciate one of their own being separated, and they were adamant not to leave her and a little aggressive. Blue and Charlie kept them in check as wranglers finally got them into a different corral. There was a lot of bleating and calls, but finally the flock settled and only an occasional cry could be heard.</p>
<p>"Good work," he lauded each of the four as they crowded around him again. He patted them, aware there were eyes on him. No matter how often they had done this before, the audience never got used to how he was among those four.</p>
<p>Yes, they were muzzled, but those claws brushed over his clothes and one swipe of the sickle claw could eviscerate him.</p>
<p>Blue purred, pleased with the results, and Charlie rumbled about the sick galli dying. Owen knew they were probably correct, but the vets would try to do their best.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They ran back along the less travelled roads. Owen had called control to let them know that they were leaving the Valley, that the job was done, and would be doing patrols before returning. He got an all-clear from Hamada, who cautioned him that maintenance was working on the gyrospheres and to, if possible, not go past the station.</p>
<p>"Gotcha," Owen replied. "We'll stick to the back road through the Triceratops Territory. You won't see us."</p>
<p>He could almost imagine Hamada's expression and he heard his little laugh. "Yeah, right. Later."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>While the raptors weren't seen, Owen was. He stopped infrequently to talk to the monorail workers, some security posts, and finally to Reggie, whom he ran into as he was almost out of the Territory. None of the girls showed even so much as a tail tip and he told them to go straight to the paddock and not cause any commotion by nosing around where raptors shouldn't be.</p>
<p>"Hope it's not Take Your Pack to Work Day," Reggie joked as he finished stowing his gear.</p>
<p>"They're already back home," Owen told him. "We had work this morning. How's it going?"</p>
<p>"Good, good. Done with the trices and stegs. I'm off to see how Becky and her herd are, then I'm finished."</p>
<p>Owen nodded. They were all within their scheduled times, aside from the Gardens. He had read about one of the main pipes springing a leak and Serena and her team were busy stopping the botanical garden from becoming a swamp.</p>
<p>"See you at the All You Can Eat?" Reggie asked, grinning.</p>
<p>"I'll be there."</p>
<p>Owen drove off with a wave. He was really looking forward to the annual barbecue. Carter had threatened to have half his men sit on Owen and keep him from leaving to the restricted area. It was a threat Owen took quite seriously, especially since every single trooper he had met had mentioned the order to him oh-so casually.</p>
<p>Okay, so, yes, he had thrown a big wrench into last year's celebration, but hey, it hadn't been his fault, right? He hadn't gone out looking for trouble. Trouble had found him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carter's SUV was parked out front when he came home and Owen shot the four raptors milling around their pen a narrow-eyed look.</p>
<p>Blue chittered, tilting her head.</p>
<p><i>Ladies, a warning?</i>  he asked. <i>Blue?</i></p>
<p><i>Alpha mate is pack. Why would you need a warning?</i> was her simple reply.</p>
<p>Great. Just great.</p>
<p>Carter was inside, looking freshly showered and shaved, wearing only sweats and a t-shirt. Owen's brain stalled for a moment, then stumbled back into motion. Damnit! Just looking at the man could derail him sometimes!</p>
<p>"Uh, did I miss a memo?" he asked.</p>
<p>"Do I have to send a request to come here?" Carter asked lightly, smiling.</p>
<p>"No. I'm just surprised."</p>
<p>"I'm officially off, so I thought I'd head over to spend some time with my SO before the barbecue."</p>
<p>Owen's eyes narrowed. "Uh-huh. You mean sit on me and keep me out of trouble."</p>
<p>Dan's expression never wavered. There was just fondness that had Owen want to either kiss him or kill him. "That's your interpretation of it. I'd call it quality alone time."</p>
<p>Alright. Good. He could work with that.</p>
<p>And when Dan pulled him into a very much not PG kiss, Owen decided that hell yes, he could really work with that!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The annual InGen barbecue on Main Street went off without a hitch. No emergencies, no explosions, no kidnappings, no dinosaurs trying to break out of their enclosures.</p>
<p>Restaurants, kiosks and souvenir stores were mostly dark and silent. Winston’s and Margaritaville had opened up and the steakhouse had fired up the grill for the barbecue while Margaritaville was dispensing drinks. Their doors and windows were wide open and the enticing smell of grilled meat and vegetables wafted among the staff and security troopers. Some were doubling as servers or just carried whatever they could get to a small group of friends and colleagues to share. Regular servers from several places helped out, especially with the drinks. Winston had set up several large grills on the street for smaller, quicker dishes.  </p>
<p>It was a fun evening, relaxed, with too much food, a lot to drink, and everyone enjoying themselves. Unlike before, it had been set up after the inventory. Owen hadn't dared to ask and Hamada had just made a few cryptic remarks about bad luck and making sure.</p>
<p>But just as before visitors had been informed months in advance and no tickets had been sold for those days. Owen's parents had flown in that day, completely surprising their only son. Actually, he had been kind of startled to see them drive up with Claire, who just smiled broadly at him.</p>
<p>"When did you get here?" he asked his mother hugged him.</p>
<p>"What a way to greet your parents, Owen Grady!" she chastised. "And we arrived two hours ago. Claire was a dear and picked us up."</p>
<p>Claire, dressed in all white as usual, stood to the side, watching the reunion with a smile. Owen gave her a scowl. It didn't faze her.</p>
<p>"You didn't call!" he told his parents.</p>
<p>"Of course not," his father laughed. "It was a surprise."</p>
<p>Yep, it had been a surprise. Claire didn't look all too repentant. Apparently it had been planned way ahead, keeping him out of the loop, and from Carter's expression, he might have been aware of it to a degree but had not been in on the planning.</p>
<p>"You knew," Owen muttered.</p>
<p>"I still am the Chief of Security. And Ms. Dearing briefed me."</p>
<p>He could hear the capital letters on that job description. "Traitor."</p>
<p>Carter gave him a small smile. "They wanted to keep it a surprise."</p>
<p>"You talked to them already?"</p>
<p>"No. Claire informed me and since it's not a security issue, I didn't need to clear their arrival."</p>
<p>Owen thought a few uncomplimentary things, but he was in too good a mood after the 'quality time' to hold on to that.</p>
<p>"Sophie, Nathan," Claire said, nodding at the parents. "Enjoy yourselves. Let me know if you need anything."</p>
<p>"Oh, we're good, dear," Owen's mother replied. "Thank you."</p>
<p>Claire walked off to join some of the staff and Sophie Grady turned to Dan, smiling widely.</p>
<p>"I think it's too late to ask what your intentions towards my son are, isn't it?" she asked cheekily.</p>
<p>Nathan guffawed and shook his head as Owen stared at his mother, at a loss for words, and Dan just gave her a polite smile.</p>
<p>"Utterly honorable, I assure you, Mrs. Grady."</p>
<p>She smiled brightly. "Sophie. Please." She linked their arms and started to drag the taller, more muscular chief of security over to a table.</p>
<p>Owen helplessly watched it, at a total loss. His father just gave him an understanding look.</p>
<p>"So… I remember Winston has the best steaks this side of the island," he remarked. "How about we sample some of them?"</p>
<p>Anything to take his mind off his mother grilling his partner, Owen decided.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The late afternoon turned into early evening, the setting sun painting an amazing canvas, and people were lingering around the main street or walked toward the lagoon plaza, drinks and food in hand. Everyone looked relaxed. Even Serena, who had told him that her workers had managed to drain the excess water from the affected area and she thought none of the plants would suffer water damage. Some of them weren't fond of too much water.</p>
<p>Owen watched his mother animatedly talk with Dan, sometimes gesturing with her fork. Carter looked absolutely at ease, smiling at her, sometimes laughing, eyes crinkling at the corners. Yes, he was relaxed, though not letting all of his guard down, and while he could never be completely off duty, he was currently Dan Carter, not the chief.</p>
<p>His father was eating his own body weight in steaks, clearly enjoying his bounty. He had stuck to the huge barbecue grill, talking to the three men in charge of the meat feast, and knowing his father, he had probably doled out his wisdom concerning grilling steaks and had asked a million questions about how they were grilling their own.</p>
<p>"He's a wonderful, lovely person," Sophie Grady told her son when she joined him with a margarita in hand. "Your mate." She winked. "A really great person and a very handsome specimen of the species."</p>
<p>"Mom…" he groaned.</p>
<p>"He also has a wicked sense of humor," she continued, ignoring his sigh. "I see why you like him. Very down to earth, too. Centered."</p>
<p>Owen raised his eyebrows, fighting down a chuckle. "Stamp of approval?" he teased.</p>
<p>"Oh, like my opinion could make you reconsider," she laughed. "You chose him, Owen. You said so. Nothing anyone says or does can undo that choice."</p>
<p>He nodded slowly. "Yeah. He's… He belongs."</p>
<p>"The alpha mate."</p>
<p>"Mom… please… Dan's a human being, like me. We're not going to categorize him by pack terms!"</p>
<p>"Dan is what he is. Just like you are who you are, Owen. You are the pack alpha. He is your partner, your significant other partner. That means he is the alpha mate. Is that a problem?"</p>
<p>He shook his head. "Not really. It's just… it sounds like he had no choice in it all."</p>
<p>"I haven't known him as long as you have, Owen, but this man can't be forced into anything he doesn't want to. You can see the military in him. It's hard to miss. You wouldn't be able to push him into a relationship if he wasn't at least a little bit interested, and from what I've heard from Dan Carter, he was very much inclined. He's special in many ways. Not just because he's the one person you let in." She wrapped an arm around his waist and hugged her son. "He's good for you, Owen. And he loves you."</p>
<p>Owen stiffened a little. "Uh…"</p>
<p>Sophie sighed and shook her head. "Men. You in particular. You think it's such a big thing, as if it would change your whole life. It doesn't. It's an emotion and you're allowed to feel it. Dan does and for a man, he's very open about them." He eyes were alight with humor. "Unlike a certain Grady I know. Tell him sometimes. He deserves to hear it, even if he knows it."</p>
<p>He found himself nodding, mind racing. Dan had told his mother that he loved him?</p>
<p>"I'd say we should have you two over for dinner sometimes, but the distance makes that difficult. And the fact that you can't bring the rest of the family."</p>
<p>He might be able to leave for a weekend, Owen mused. Maybe. But he knew he would worry, would miss the presence of his four girls with him, though it wasn't detrimental to his mental health, or his physical one. He had been off the island before, but not after the incident almost a year ago.</p>
<p>"Maybe we can… arrange something," he said carefully.</p>
<p>"Don't. Your father and I will gladly come here for a holiday or a birthday." She winked again. "I don't want to upset the pack stability or the mental balance."</p>
<p>"We'd be fine."</p>
<p>"Owen, honey, you are the alpha of a pack. A bonded alpha. You have a responsibility to not just them, but to everyone here. You belong to this island and you have a connection that goes deeper than anything anyone might suspect."</p>
<p>"Mom…"</p>
<p>"And it's okay. This is you. This is what you are, what you can do, and this is the man who is connected to Dan Carter." Her expression was fond, loving, and still with a serious edge. "This was your choice and both your father and I respect it. We always knew you had a talent that was much more than surface. Your granddad knew, too."</p>
<p>Owen felt a hot flush race through him, embarrassment mixed with softer emotions. He loved his parents, had loved his grandparents, who had always known about him and his abilities. His grandfather had been the one to teach him so much, even though he hadn't been able to show him. It had been theoretical, had been advice, and he had always had an open ear.</p>
<p>"I miss him," he murmured.</p>
<p>"We all do." His mother gave him a kiss on the cheek, then raised her margarita. "No more maudlin. I'll go find your father before he eats even more steaks and burgers. He'll just complain about it all night. Last time I saw him he was talking your friend Josh's ear off about the four ways to perfectly heat a charcoal grill and was just about to list direct versus indirect grilling methods."</p>
<p>Owen laughed, pushing away the wistfulness. "Let's safe Josh then."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>By the end of the night, there was still enough food for another night of over-indulgence. Or maybe even two.</p>
<p>Josh was sprawled in his chair, groaning about too much food.</p>
<p>Laurel sniggered. "How can one stick of a man eat so much? I think you're channeling your inner Rexy."</p>
<p>"Didn't see you stopping me."</p>
<p>"I did. Throughout the third serving you got yourself. I clearly recall you giving me the stink-eye and going for dessert next. You're a bottomless well."</p>
<p>He grunted. Lieutenant Hartwick sniggered. He had been eating just as many desserts as Josh, but apparently he could stomach that much sweetness. Then again, he had stuck to grilled veggies and salads, with only one sausage to spice things up.</p>
<p>"And I tried it again when you dug into your second chocolate pudding," Laurel added.</p>
<p>Another grunt.</p>
<p>"And when you couldn't say no to the cake with whipped cream, though I couldn't see any cake under that mountain of cream."</p>
<p>"That was Mike's fault."</p>
<p>Hartwick held up both hands. "Hey, I just said it's really good. You were the one to immediately go for it, Josh. Don't blame the connoisseur!"</p>
<p>"You're even worse than Josh," Laurel stated. "But at least you don't turn into a stuffed sausage."</p>
<p>Josh groaned again and loosened his belt.</p>
<p>"You better call it a night and go home before this becomes indecent exposure," Gregory laughed.</p>
<p>Josh rose. "If I'm not back by tomorrow, look for my body."</p>
<p>"Your bloated body?" Laurel teased.</p>
<p>"Oh shut up!"</p>
<p>"I'll take you home," she offered. "Before you end up throwing up all that food."</p>
<p>Another groan. "The way you drive, I will."</p>
<p>Laurel waved at the others. "See you all after we're all out of the food coma."</p>
<p>"Like that will happen anytime soon," Owen sighed, patting his own stomach.</p>
<p>His eyes roamed the now so much emptier main street. It was already way into the next day, the last day of an empty park before visitors would be allowed back, flocking around by the thousands.</p>
<p>Time to call it a night, he decided.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carter was the one driving and they ended up at Dan's residence, not back at the paddock. Owen was too sleepy to find it in himself to argue. They fell into bed, Owen feeling too full but very content, and his eyes slid shut. Dan poked him in the side.</p>
<p>"Undress."</p>
<p>"Nah, I'm good," he drawled.</p>
<p>"You'll thank me tomorrow."</p>
<p>"I'll make an exception," Grady mumbled.</p>
<p>Dan started to undo the belt.</p>
<p>Owen's eyes cracked open and he smiled. "Ah, I see."</p>
<p>"Not heading that way."</p>
<p>"Too bad."</p>
<p>"You'd fall asleep halfway into a blow job."</p>
<p>Owen grinned. "You offering to test that theory?"</p>
<p>Carter leaned over him and kissed the grinning lips. "Not today. I'm too full and I hate for you to lose such a half-assed bet."</p>
<p>Owen hummed. He finally sat up and stripped off his shirt. The rest of the clothes went and finally they were under the covers. He was out like a light within minutes.</p>
<p>Dan smiled to himself before he switched off the light.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His parents stayed for four days. Owen spent those days with them or they were over at the paddock, visiting the pack, watching the four raptors who were watching and studying them in turn. The four understood the concept of parents, of course, but Owen kept the gates locked. Even if he had driven home the fact that these two humans were his family, he didn't want any of the girls running around and possibly frightening his parents.</p>
<p>His parents toured the park with Owen as their guide, and he knew they had fun. Especially since Carter had made sure he had time off.</p>
<p>"Hamada offered to change shifts. Said having the in-laws over is reason enough."</p>
<p>Owen had just stared and then walked off, shaking his head.</p>
<p>But it was nice. Really, really nice. Dan was still his steady anchor, charming and open, readily answering questions from both Gradys. They had lunch and-or dinner together, and on the last day Owen dropped by the hotel for the breakfast buffet. Dan had come along, dressed in his civvies, like the last three days, and it was so surreal and so wonderful in one.</p>
<p>"I might just get used to seeing you out of uniform," Owen told him as they waited for his parents to come down from their room.</p>
<p>Carter's brows shot up. Owen repeated the words in his head and briefly closed his eyes. He heard Dan's soft chuckle. He was saved by the arrival of his parents and while breakfast was a fun affair, the look Dan shot him whenever they were alone at the table while their parents got themselves more food was more than suggestive.</p>
<p>"You are how old again?" Grady muttered around his bread roll.</p>
<p>"You started it."</p>
<p>"Did not."</p>
<p>"Did."</p>
<p>"Okay, we're five," Owen stated wryly.</p>
<p>"Apparently."</p>
<p>His father was back first, a mountain of food on his plate. The man could eat a mountain and not gain a pound, as his mother so often stated. Owen had inherited that from him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His parents left with the late afternoon ferry to spend a last night in Costa Rica, then fly home. By now the park was operating in full capacity again and there were people everywhere. It was a nice change from the empty feel of the place, as if some catastrophic event had closed it down again, and wasn't that something Owen didn't want to relive again? As much as he avoided the tourist hot spots and the busy Main Street if at all possible, he still loved the life and bustle of it all.</p>
<p>Waving as the ferry left, Owen watched until it had turned and was heading away. Then he walked past the passengers who had disembarked and were now either waiting for a shuttle or a tour guide.</p>
<p>Time to go home and spend some time with his girls.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Should I expect your parents to drop by unannounced one day?" Owen joked a few days after the barbecue while they enjoyed a late evening get-together before Carter's night shift. "Or do you have normal parents who call before they spring that surprise on you? Unlike my own who think it's funny to just pop up unannounced?"</p>
<p>"Not their style," Carter answered lazily. "To come unannounced."</p>
<p>"Good to know."</p>
<p>Owen had been over at the park to catch up with Claire and had decided to spend the rest of the day with his friends, who had been only too happy to have him around.</p>
<p>Nancy had progressed with M and Owen was incredibly proud of her achievements. She was a lot more at ease having the mosasaurus in her head, though Nancy was still extremely guarded, which was advisable. Relaxing into their contact was one thing; sliding along the connection into the animal's mind was never good advice. Just because Owen's brain was built to withstand that kind of assault and make it into a workable bond didn't mean any of the others could copy it.</p>
<p>But Nancy had a working communication with M and that was all she needed. She could guide her, gently push her into a direction, and she had once or twice actually taken a hold of the massive creature and stopped her from doing something she wasn't supposed to do.</p>
<p>He had ended the day at Dan's place to have some private time before shift start.</p>
<p>"There's actually no danger of that because I planned on flying home for Christmas. My sister's latest addition to the family was born a few days ago."</p>
<p>Owen sat up at the calmly delivered news, brows furrowing. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "About becoming an uncle? You should have been gone already."</p>
<p>Dan smiled, still so very much at ease and exuding calmness. "Because she didn't need yet another addition to the family already there. And I wouldn't have been able to do anything. She was the one giving birth. My plans were for Christmas." He raised his eyebrows. "We've been video chatting. My family knows very well that I can't just drop everything and fly to wherever they are. It has been like that in my military past, actually a lot worse and more complicated, and it hasn't really changed."</p>
<p>"Okay. Alright. You could have told me, though. You're an uncle." Owen grinned.</p>
<p>"Twice now. By the way, my mom asked if you would be coming along."</p>
<p>Caught completely unawares, right but of the left field, Owen froze for a moment. His lips thinned. Carter watched him, no judgment in his eyes. Grady felt the anchor between them, that deep well that seemed to ground him. Anyone who had ever met Owen Grady would describe him as very down to earth and level-headed, never one to panic even while facing a genetically engineered, sociopathic dinosaur of the likes of an indominus rex. But there was an instinctual side to him, something that had developed with the bond, with having four apex predators linked to him, and sometimes there was a flash of… raptor. Brief, barely there before it was gone, but it was there. That's when the anchor took hold, when Carter came in without consciously doing anything.</p>
<p>"Do they know I'm preternatural?" Owen asked, the sensation of fight or flight dying down within two seconds of rising.</p>
<p>"It didn't come up. They know all the relevant facts about your work."</p>
<p>"Uh-huh."</p>
<p>Being a preternatural wasn't something you just mentioned in casual conversations and the general public didn't really know about those among them who had a talent. Preters only shared themselves among others with a talent, but never just came out. Owen had no idea if he wanted the Carters to know the depth of their connection. Probably not.</p>
<p>"Owen."</p>
<p>He blinked and met the pale gray eyes.</p>
<p>"They won't get a peep of what you really are out of me. I won't tell them what you truly can do. You are the Chief Raptor Behavioral Analyst. You work outside the park, you study raptors and you train them. That's it."</p>
<p>He nodded slowly. That was it. The official version and the only version out there, actually. Carter had told him that they didn't have a shred of preter in their family tree. At least to his knowledge.</p>
<p>"I won't mention you weaving me into the pack bond either," Carter added with a little teasing smile. "Or that you like to cuddle with raptors."</p>
<p>"We don't cuddle!"</p>
<p>"Pull the other one. I have proof. Photographic proof."</p>
<p>Owen gave him a narrow-eyed look, but relaxed a little more. Dan kept on smiling.</p>
<p>"I'm not sure about leaving them," he finally confessed. "I've left twice, but not since cracking and nearly blowing my mind apart. I'm not sure what would happen, Dan. I also don't really want to experiment with that."</p>
<p>The other man reached for one hand and squeezed it briefly. "I know. I'm not saying you have to come along."</p>
<p>"I want to meet them one day."</p>
<p>"And you will." Dan kissed him. "No pressure. None at all. And I know my sister wants to come here. She loves dinosaurs."</p>
<p>Owen chuckled. "Who doesn't?"</p>
<p>Another kiss. "You're good?"</p>
<p>"With you leaving me all on my own for Christmas?" he teased.</p>
<p>Carter grinned. "I'll bring you back some homemade egg nog and a ton of cookies."</p>
<p>"Now you're talking."</p>
<p>"So you're good."</p>
<p>"Yeah, I'm good. You're mother-henning, Carter. A really bad case. Go and be an uncle. I'll wrap a present or two from the gift shop. Put me in their good graces."</p>
<p>"Hey, you're already there. You're the guy who caught my eye and who didn't balk. And for putting up with me. Alex, my oldest sister, said she had given up hope that I'd find someone."</p>
<p>Owen burst out laughing. If they only knew… But hey, family. They did sound alike. "I like putting up with you," he replied, bumping their shoulders a little. "A lot, actually. And I think you had the harder part in this. You are the most patient person I know and that includes a raptor prowling for prey. And you didn't run when I told you everything. You're the one who has to put up with a lot of stuff not even other preters would be comfortable knowing about me. I think I scared or close to terrified most of the preternaturally talented staff after the whole Sorna raptor fiasco. You stayed. Oh, and I love you."</p>
<p>Carter interlaced their fingers, expression suddenly very serious. "I am very comfortable around you, Owen Grady, and have been for a very long time. I got to know you and your four little guards. I think I understand a lot more than most, even without that talent that sets so many apart from the rest of humanity. I never gave running or turning my back on what I feel a second thought. I was patient because that's what you needed. And before I forget… I love you, too." His lips turned up in an endearing little smile.</p>
<p>There was a beep, reminding Carter that he had to leave for his shift. He usually set an alarm on his cell, so he wouldn't run late. He wouldn't give anyone an opening to comment about how a personal relationship interfered with work. He asked no less of his men.</p>
<p>"Later," Owen murmured, kissing him.</p>
<p>Carter responded, almost reluctant to go. "Love you," he repeated.</p>
<p>Owen smiled, that warmth and gooey feeling still going strong whenever they both had their guard down and were just them; private, personal, intimate.</p>
<p>He watched Dan drive off, then stretched, feeling a yawn coming. It was almost midnight and he had had a long day. He took his bike back to the paddock, where he was greeted by sleepy yips and rumbles.</p>
<p>"Go back to sleep, girls."</p>
<p>He planned to do the same quite soon, too.</p>
<p>Blue curled around him in his mind and he leaned into her presence, feeling her hum.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They hadn't moved in together.</p>
<p>It was not how it worked, how they worked, and what they were.</p>
<p>Someone had once told him that the secret to a successful long-term relationship was to stay out of each other's way when needed. And to be there for each other when that need arose. For Dan and Owen it was… just like that. It had been their kind of relationship from the start and they had only gotten closer and tighter with time.</p>
<p>Still, they had their own places and that wouldn't change.</p>
<p>Carter needed to be on site, as did Owen. For the chief of security it meant the park; for the chief raptor behavioral analyst it meant the raptor paddock. A commute would be too long. Not that Owen would ever think about moving out of his house and closer to the park or into the residential area. This was his territory and he knew it would never change. His sense of home and belonging had only increased with the change in dynamics at the park.</p>
<p>As for Carter, he had a place with immediate access to the back roads, not far from the Control Room. It was a small house, opposed to the apartment-style lodging of other troopers, with a neatly maintained garden, a large garage for the SUV and a bike, and it was just big enough for two bedrooms. Owen had been over many times before. He liked it just fine, but he preferred his remote location.</p>
<p>Carter understood. "I like spending time here," he told Owen as they made themselves comfortable on the couch with way too unhealthy snacks, to enjoy some quality sports TV time. "And I like having you over at my place. This works, Owen. Perfectly."</p>
<p>Yes, it did.</p>
<p>"Anything else would just be a mess."</p>
<p>He chuckled. "Just get a bigger back yard and I can bring the girls next time."</p>
<p>"Next you want is a swing, a sandbox and a fun slide."</p>
<p>"Now that you mention it…"</p>
<p>Dan dug into the chips, not even deigning that with a comment. Owen just switched over to the sports channel, then stole some chips.</p>
<p>Yes, this worked. It worked just fine.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They commuted back and forth between both their residences. Sometimes Owen dropped by at night for a patrol, the raptors shadows in the night, keeping out of the spotlights and away from the cameras, though they couldn’t really sneak around unseen.</p>
<p>Everyone working shifts in Control knew about the pack, that they might pop up in one of the camera surveillance feeds, and as long as Owen or Carter were there, in the same frame or arriving within minutes, everything was fine. No reason for an alarm.</p>
<p>Grady had adjusted pack outings to the restricted area to Dan's shift schedule. He didn’t go in regular intervals anyway, sometimes disappearing with the girls whenever he felt like it, sometimes not for weeks until the raptors got restless.</p>
<p>And a few times he went with a group of helpers, all of them volunteers and all individuals whom the pack knew and accepted, to work on the old visitor center.</p>
<p>Barry had been almost gung-ho to get out there and see it himself. Peter Kozinski was a known factor to the pack and they had no problem with him, nor did they object to Alan Grant. Echo in particular loved having her favorite fringe pack human ally with her. She kept her respectful distance and wouldn't crowd or be obnoxiously attentive, but there was no mistaking her closeness to Alan. Dan was, of course, part of the work force, and all four of them managed to clear out the remaining gunk and debris from the old center.</p>
<p>Peter loaded the jeep with the old souvenirs to bring back for Lowery to pick through. The man was an absolute collector of the stuff and he had promised to sell off whatever he didn't want and donate the proceeds to one of the park's many programs. Owen could just imagine the joy and absolute love in Lowery's eyes when he set sight on what Peter was carefully stowing away.</p>
<p>Alan had an almost wistful, very nostalgic look in his eyes as he walked through the rooms. It would never be as it had been before, but Owen had planned to fortify the old building, turn it into another home for him and the pack, which also included Dan, and since water and power was running smoothly, the rest was mostly cosmetic.</p>
<p>Stopping at the mural that showed raptors painted before a natural setting, Alan hunched his shoulders a little, studying the flaking paint. He didn't look like he was about to run, but there was a tension creeping through his frame that spoke of his unease.</p>
<p>"Bad memories?" Owen asked as he joined him, making sure to make noise as he walked up to him. Alan claimed he could sneak around like a raptor if he wanted to and maybe that was true.</p>
<p>"As long as there's no raptor skulking around, no."</p>
<p>Owen nodded. He had made sure to tell the pack to keep away. They could do whatever they wanted, but stalking his friends or loitering around the visitor center was a no-go.</p>
<p>"It's been long enough," Alan added. "And I think therapy worked." He listed a corner of his mouth into a small smile. "My threshold shifted. Thanks to Echo, I think. She is very insistent in her… presence."</p>
<p>Owen laughed softly. "She takes her job seriously."</p>
<p>"Yeah. But seriously, it's been twenty years. I know I had some form of PTSD the first time and still I went back again and again. I love them too much to turn my back on an island full of dinosaurs." He smiled wistfully. "The very first time I laid eyes on Hammond's creations was such an amazing experience. You have no idea what it was like for me, Owen. To only work with bones, to hypothesize about those incredible animals, and then to see them. Yes, they were engineered and they will never look like their ancestors, but they were alive. They were real!"</p>
<p>Owen nodded silently. He knew his own reaction to seeing a live dinosaur, and he had been a kid.</p>
<p>"Velociraptors are my field of expertise. The fossils, not the genetic mix Hammond cooked up. But they fascinate me. All of them. The fossils and the genetically engineered copies in one. Coming here… I knew it would bring back memories. I went because in a way, it's therapy, too." He shrugged. "And because you are a crazy son of a gun, Owen Grady."</p>
<p>Owen grinned at that, but he understood. He was also proud of Alan's insistence and unbreakable spirit. The man was hard to keep down and while he was naturally cautious around the pack, part of him had accepted that they weren't those raptors he had dealt with before.</p>
<p>And yes, Echo had helped. He was proud of his girl.</p>
<p>"You're really making something out of this place." Alan glanced around, changing the topic. His shoulders squared a little more, opening up, and he was clearly pushing away past trauma. "Needs a lot of work still. You might to invest in a structural check, too. Bring someone out who knows about this stuff. It's been over two decades and no one has been doing any maintenance. I don't want to hear about you getting buried underneath a crumbling ruin, kid."</p>
<p>Owen had to agree. He didn't want a complete restoration, but to have this as a retreat had sounded nice in his head. Turn the single room with its very rustic interior into a real place to live.</p>
<p>"You plan on making this your holiday home?" Alan asked playfully.</p>
<p>"Just a shelter."</p>
<p>"Pack den."</p>
<p>"Shelter, Alan. Nothing more, nothing less. I've been caught in enough storms to know how important a dry, safe place is."</p>
<p>Grant made another round, inspecting the atrium. "It was a great place, actually. If not for the sabotage, Hammond might have had a lot of success. It's sad, in a way, that he didn't get to see the success of the new park, what it turned out to be, though I doubt he would have agreed with a lot of what his heritage brought forth."</p>
<p>"I'm not turning it into a memorial, Alan."</p>
<p>The older man gave him a half-smile as they walked outside and Owen wasn't surprised to see Echo watching them, making her presence pretty well known. She was in plain view and Alan didn't even flinch, though he did stop at the top of the overgrown stairs. Echo chirped, tilting her head, then trilled.</p>
<p>Alan looked at her. He stood there for a long ten seconds, then squared his shoulders and walked down the stairs, careful of the broken ones. Owen was not far behind, keeping a close eye on Echo but the raptor was nothing if not absolutely relaxed and attentive.</p>
<p><i>Easy</i>, he projected. <i>Give him room.</i></p>
<p>She snuffled, her reply a little miffed. She was always easy with her favorite human and she always gave him all the room he needed.</p>
<p>Alan stopped not far away, clearly aware he would never have a chance if she decided to attack, but Echo just hummed, doing her best puppy eyes. She huffed, trilled again, head cocked left, then right.</p>
<p>Owen almost laughed.</p>
<p>"Yeah, you helped," Alan murmured. "Not that it makes me trust any other raptors."</p>
<p>She trill-chirped, looking immensely pleased.</p>
<p>"You trust her. That's enough," Owen translated.</p>
<p>Alan snorted, then shrugged. His eyes were still on the velociraptor. "Okay. Yes. Maybe. Maybe it's enough."</p>
<p>Echo chittered and blew out some air, then turned and trotted off, head held high. Alan shook his head.</p>
<p>"If anyone had told me about this a few years ago… that I have a therapy animal in form of a velociraptor… and that I would start to actually like her…"</p>
<p>"You would have called him all kinds of words," Owen finished. "But that's what therapy's for. C'mon, let's find the others and pack up. We're done for today."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carter was already waiting for them. The second jeep with Barry and Peter had left and Carter would shuttle Alan back to his place. Close by, Delta was watching like a scaly Doberman. Her lips peeled back from sharp teeth as Owen cocked his head, shooting a question at her.</p>
<p>She was just keeping an eye on the alpha mate.</p>
<p><i>Sure</i>, Owen told her with amusement. <i>Hoping for scratches? You know he won't.</i></p>
<p>Delta's reply was a low, annoyed rumble, then she stalked off. Carter's brows rose a fraction.</p>
<p>"We're leaving?" he asked as Alan got into the jeep.</p>
<p>"We're done for today. Take the professor back to his house? We'll take the scenic route," Owen told him as he started his bike.</p>
<p>"Sure. See you later," Dan simply acknowledged with a knowing smile.</p>
<p>Owen whistled, feeling the pack bond with him sharpen. They were all looking forward to run. All four lined up and Owen nodded, then made a sharp gesture with one hand while also pushing the order to go back home without distractions and without detours into their minds. Blue acknowledged and barked at the other three, then she darted off. He followed down the all too familiar path while Carter took the hard-packed road that led back to the official park area.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Carter put him in contact with one of his men concerning the evaluation of the old visitor center's structural integrity.</p>
<p>"No strings attached and you know it," Carter added with a smirk. "You can ask him whatever you need. If it's a viable plan, Sean's your man to make it happen."</p>
<p>"It's not like I'm building a new home, Dan. It's just… a project. Something I do when I'm here. I'm not going to move out here!"</p>
<p>"Well, I hope not. The commute would really be insane. But this is also your place," Carter pointed out dryly. "It is the pack's place. Masrani more or less gifted this Sector to you and everyone knows the restricted area is yours. You're in charge. It's raptor territory; Grady territory. It's where you can be who you all are."</p>
<p>Owen shifted a little at the words. He felt a thrum along the bond, the pack's acknowledgement of the fact that this was theirs, their territory, and that it was also a freedom no one else could experience as they did. They were aware of the history of the place, but the past didn't matter to a raptor. Neither did they plan far ahead into the future. They knew bad memories lingered for some humans, but also for them. Delta had been injured here, as had been Charlie, but they didn't carry it with them.</p>
<p>"I know some guys who would jump at the chance to play Bob the Builder for a few days. It is kind of relaxing, unless you drop a hammer on your foot." Carter grinned. "Their only condition is: no raptors. Lorenzo offered to put the latest in surveillance and security gear in here, too. I think he just wants to play with new toys."</p>
<p>Owen chuckled. "His cameras are enough."</p>
<p>"Well, he would wire it all together and give you a little control room of your own. Probably hardwired to your bio signature, if you let him. Maybe even the girls'. He's experimental."</p>
<p>Owen slowly shook his head. "I don't want to live on the bridge of the Enterprise. Making sure this place doesn't fall down around us is enough."</p>
<p>"We're on the same page then. I'll let my guy know to call you."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> Not much later Owen talked to Captain Sean McMurty, who was the man in charge of construction as well as engineering materials for whatever was needed at the park. He had a solid background in construction and had tagged an engineering title to that hands-on training. He was the one to be called when it came to breaking stuff down and rebuilding whatever needed to be rebuilt. Architects did the planning, McMurty came in when the real work started and would give his input.</p>
<p>Sean had been the one in charge of raising the i-rex paddock and he had also been the one to tear it down and recycle all materials. While he was technically InGen and one of Dan's men, hence the rank, he was mostly employed by the park's management to keep an eye on new building sites like Q2 had been. It helped that he got along splendidly with the planners and paper pushers, as he called them fondly.</p>
<p>Now he had dug around the old Jurassic Park's files and Owen was presented with the electronic rendering of the visitor center and the adjoining Cretaceous Café, the control room, the parking garages and even Hammond's bungalow. A lot of it had already collapsed, overrun by the jungle.</p>
<p>"I know how old that stuff is," McMurty said, looking thoughtful. "It's surprising that the old atrium is still there." He traced the plans. "Especially with those rotundas. I would have thought it would go first."</p>
<p>"The window panes are gone, but the structure looks good to me."</p>
<p>Sean gave him a half-smile. "Might just be superficial. They might just be days away from giving in. You never know with that. And I know the elements have been giving it a regular beating, but let me look into the old plans first, see what materials they used, then I have to take a look myself."</p>
<p>Owen nodded. "Give me a call when you want to go out there."</p>
<p>"As long as you leave your entourage at home."</p>
<p>He chuckled. "You got it."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>McMurty called him a few days later and they drove out into the restricted area, the engineer giving it all a very thorough look. He used gear Owen had never seen to measure a ton of things.</p>
<p>"Density, how much water is already contained in the walls, floors and ceiling," McMurty told him readily. "I'm also looking at rust, breaks, fractures, possible signs of instability in the angle of the walls and pillars, and a whole lot more. So far I've to say that the back half is absolutely condemned. You shouldn't go in there. Ever. It would be best to either tear it down to make it completely inaccessible. I know you don't have visitors traipsing through, but if one of your raptors got in there chasing prey, it might be the last she does."</p>
<p>Owen felt something inside of tense, his muscles locking up for a second. The thought of losing one of the pack to a collapsing roof or floor was terrifying.</p>
<p>"Surprisingly the atrium is in much better shape," the captain went on. "The broken windows are dangerous and replacing them would mean constant maintenance. You want to use it for something? Sun room?" he joked.</p>
<p>"Nope. All I want are some dry rooms to set up as a shelter, not a summer home."</p>
<p>"Large enough for the whole pack?"</p>
<p>"Preferably with room to spare." Because you never knew.</p>
<p>"Well, the topside looks like an ancient ruin, but there is a very solid basement, though not running underneath the whole center. You'd have the square footage to house two football teams easily. With extra room. It's not the most scenic, but you can convert one of the few stable areas into a topside residence." McMurty chuckled. "I can keep the derelict look, too. Makes for better cover and camouflage."</p>
<p>Owen pondered the idea. He had been underground and he knew there was a lot of space, dry and stable space, and it was really just a shelter.</p>
<p>He nodded. "Sounds good."</p>
<p>"Let me talk to some of my men. I'll give you a better idea of what I think might work. And we can spruce up the basement."</p>
<p>He smiled. "Do your worst, captain."</p>
<p>"Oh, you don't want me to go all out on your little shelter. You might not recognize it."</p>
<p>"Hey, if you need it as a teaching method for your latest bunch of trainees, be my guest. As long as they don't end up under a log or in a hole."</p>
<p>McMurty chuckled. "Alright. Challenge accepted."</p>
<p>Owen shook the other man's hand, wondering just what Sean McMurty had planned for his shelter.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sky was nearly a perfect blue. Clear, barely any clouds – just a hint of white painted across the azure – and the sun was shining brightly. A fresh breeze came in across the ocean. Tiny flowers were blooming everywhere, a rage of colors among the green. The sea was calm, almost peaceful, and near the horizon a cruise ship was silhouetted against the sky. It would be here by the afternoon, spilling out several thousand passengers.</p>
<p>Far away from the cruise ship dock, They had cleared out whatever might still be seen as historic or a collectible. This time Lowery had come along and the man had been like a child in a candy shop. His eyes were alight with happiness as he rooted through everything, as he piled up whatever he thought was worth something to someone, and together with Alan he had made up a list of what to save.</p>
<p>"This is amazing," the man crowed as he checked out the velociraptor mural for the umpteenth time. "There is so much here! No one's ever come to claim it!"</p>
<p>"Well, Hammond's legacy has become Masrani Global's property. And Simon Masrani rebuilt everything."</p>
<p>"He could add a small museum to the park, showing all those little things!"</p>
<p>"It also bears witness to failure and countless deaths," the professor told him gently.</p>
<p>Lowery froze for a second, then grew serious. "Yeah. But it's a reminder. It's the history of this place, this island. Hammond made some grievous mistakes and he paid for it. It's part of the legacy. Not just the old collectables."</p>
<p>Alan nodded slowly. "A lot went wrong. Poor design, poor planning, less than stellar safety. It has changed. A lot has changed."</p>
<p>"Masrani made damn sure to have the best of the best with back-ups to the max."</p>
<p>"You still had the i-rex happen," Alan pointed out with a grim look.</p>
<p>Lowery nodded. "Yeah. Not the best day. But compared to what happened decades ago… a day at the beach."</p>
<p>Alan snorted. "C'mon, let's pack up the rest of your loot."</p>
<p>The younger man grinned, the old light back. "Let's do that!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dan joined Owen as he watched Lowery put the last boxes into the back of his truck. Carter was just as sweaty and in need of a shower as all of them, and he absolutely didn't look like the ex-military chief of security of Jurassic World. He was grinning broadly, happily, as he dusted himself off.</p>
<p>"McMurty gave me his time table and roster. He's really accepted your challenge."</p>
<p>"I was afraid of it. He sent me the list, too. He can have a go. The girls and I won't be around for a while." He lifted a corner of his mouth.</p>
<p>The whole repair and renovation had turned into a much more extensive and so much bigger thing than he had been able to do on his own. He had always just puttered around, repaired what was really necessary, but he had never thought about… this.</p>
<p>Carter nodded, wiping his brow. "Let's clean up and go home. I think Mr. Cruthers is finally done with his raid."</p>
<p>Owen smiled. "That's what you think. He's been fawning over some of the broken displays. I'll talk to McMurty. Maybe his guys can save some of that."</p>
<p>"They definitely can. I have no idea where he wants to store all of it, but whatever keeps him happy."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The place was crawling with very happy helpers no three weeks later. The pack was at the enclosure, much to their annoyance</p>
<p>Owen had been slightly stunned after seeing what the man had carted to the location. McMurty had moved a lot of material to Owen's project and Grady had no idea how he had managed that.</p>
<p>"State secret," had been McMurty's reply. "Also, you'll never get anything done with just your hands and a tool box. That place would still look like it's about to collapse when you're old and gray."</p>
<p>He really owed those helpers several beers and a big, big steak!</p>
<p>"This would probably make a really exclusive, very VIP retreat," McMurty grinned as he stood inside the bare atrium with its rough stone walls and the restored stairs going up to the gallery. Wooden beams made up the guard.</p>
<p>"Not a chance," Owen muttered, scowling.</p>
<p>The other man barked a laugh. "Yeah. It would be too much of a real throwback experience with the raptors skulking around."</p>
<p>Owen shot him a narrow-eyed look. McMurty's broad smile was unrepentant. The captain clapped him on the shoulder and walked over to where the heavy loader was close to ready to leave.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They left before nightfall and Owen was back home with the pack just as the sun settled completely. He fed them, then made himself a snack and caught up to his emails. Carter, of course, knew of every screw that had been drilled into place. McMurty reported directly to him and the chief of security hadn't been able to come along on any of those days.</p>
<p>Not that there had been an emergency. Everything had been nothing but quiet on all fronts. Poaching incidents had dwindled to zero. Yes, there were suspicious boats sometimes, but the coast guard and InGen patrols scared them off. Isla Sorna was nothing but a wildlife refuge again, with scientists happily but carefully studying the flourishing dinosaur population. Masrani's lawyers were still cracking down on whoever was caught with illegal dinosaurs kept as pets or collector's items, which in turn discouraged a lot of black market sales. Owen was under no illusion that it would ever stop, but at least there was less activity.</p>
<p>Q2's residents were doing rather well. He had been there almost once a week to watch the progress and while none of those poor rescues could be integrated into the park's population, some were able to coexist and have some form of companionship. The gallimimus and the triceratops were getting along just fine.</p>
<p>The parasaurolophus was too easily startled, which was probably because of her missing eye, which was a handicap a prey animal didn't easily compensate. She shied away from whatever approached her on her blind side, getting aggressive, and she had balance problems because of her blind side. The nurses were working with her, but I was a slow progress.</p>
<p>At least it was progress.</p>
<p>Owen closed his files and put down the tablet, stretching. He yawned.</p>
<p>Blue rumbled softly along the bond, pleasantly fed and full, pointing out that he should get some sleep.</p>
<p>"Thanks, mom," he muttered.</p>
<p>
  <i>You are welcome, alpha.</i>
</p>
<p>"Yes, you are a good beta. Yes, I'm going to sleep."</p>
<p>There was amusement coming from all four as Owen walked into the bathroom to get ready for bed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, the final chapter! I know, I know... :)</p>
<p>There is one little goody: a bonus scene that didn't make it into the story. The bonus is more or less a snippet I wrote and scrapped. Everyone was hoping for more Delta and Dan (there is something in the final chapter to hopefully make up for all the teasing), and in the very first draft the scene was written right at the beginning. I didn't use it and everything happened differently. It was a first idea that didn't live up to what I wanted to write, but since I don't want to delete it and you might want to have a read, there are 307 words of Delta and Dan :)</p>
<p>Now for the final chapter of the story!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Owen was at the renovation site every single day and he was amazed to watch the construction crews. From the outside, nothing much had changed. It was still a ruin, it still looked overgrown, but the inside was… a whole new world. It was clean, it was dry and temperature controlled, and it had several separate areas. He had running water, heating, electricity, the works. McMurty's crew had installed skylights, so the underground bunker was flooded by light.</p>
<p>"Holy shit," Owen muttered as he walked through the semi-completed bunker.</p>
<p>McMurty grinned widely. "Like what you see?"</p>
<p>He laughed. "Damn, that's something! This is right out of some Grand Designs episode!"</p>
<p>The other man looked satisfied. "We'll be done soon. Nothing changes on the outside. Should anyone be stupid enough to come here, they'll only see what's always been there. It also doesn't jar the whole abandoned ruin feeling and vibe."</p>
<p>Grady nodded. The moment everyone was gone and the next rain had washed away the final traces, everything would be as it had been.</p>
<p>"There were plans for some kind of adventure world area when Masrani started to expand the park," the captain told him conversationally. "They wanted something like what you have here. What you have naturally. A bit spooky, a bit ancient, a bit nostalgic, and with some nifty little gadgets to entertain the kids and adults alike. He scrapped the idea after a while. We had the plans and I would have had fun with that. Building habitats is almost routine by now." He shrugged. "Tearing them down isn't rocket science either. This here," he inclined his head toward the site, "that's new and unique and everyone was looking forward to it."</p>
<p>"Especially since they get to traipse around the restricted area?" Owen teased.</p>
<p>McMurty smirked. "Maybe?"</p>
<p>Owen raised his eyebrows and the engineer smirked.</p>
<p>"Anyway, you get to enjoy the benefits of the old plans. I heavily adjusted for the purpose of the project. It's a shelter, but with amenities, and a lot of space to use later. Just wait until we're done."</p>
<p>"Somehow that sounds like a threat," he commented wryly.</p>
<p>McMurty chuckled. "We'll be gentle."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were done so fast, Owen nearly had whiplash from their speed. And he felt like a kid on Christmas as he inspected the bunker.</p>
<p>"This is a lot more than I expected," he told McMurty.</p>
<p>"Too much?"</p>
<p>"No." He grinned. "This is amazing, Sean. Amazing. Thank you! I owe you and your guys a really big steak and endless beer."</p>
<p>"Now you're speaking my language!"</p>
<p>They walked through the living area and Owen found everything a human being needed to live out here. There was even a storage area and a back-up generator. He was completely self-sufficient, absolutely green like all homes and installations in the park and on the whole island. He didn't comment on the bedroom, nor on the guest room. Who was going to have a sleep-over here, aside from Owen and Carter?</p>
<p>The pack's little cave was actually a collection of interconnected rooms that had a separate exit.</p>
<p>"You can code it to them," McMurty explained. "Like those fancy cat doors, just without the flap."</p>
<p>Owen tried to stop it, but the image came unbidden and he almost laughed.</p>
<p>"All you have to do is get them to wear a chip. Maybe a collar or a wrist band." The captain shrugged. "Your choice." He held out a smartphone-like device to him. "Your keys. Talk to Lorenzo. He can give you a brief intro and code it all to your liking."</p>
<p>"Steaks, beers and desserts," Owen announced. He had seen the small control center and it was mind-blowing</p>
<p>McMurty smiled. "This was a challenge and we love challenges, Grady. It's also a small thank you for taking care of the island and our chief."</p>
<p>Owen blinked. "Uh, what?"</p>
<p>"You've protected this place more than once. I know what happened back then with that psychopath of a dinosaur. I know you risked your life. You won against that thing. As for the other little adventure, let's say I'm glad Carter's a blond. You don't see the gray hair so easily."</p>
<p>He rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>McMurty chuckled and clapped his shoulder. "Glad you like it. We'll start getting the rest of our gear, then you have this Sector to yourselves again."</p>
<p>Owen followed him outside.</p>
<p>He drove with the crew as they headed back to the park, still stunned at what had been given to him. To them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Claire gave him a calm smile, looking just like she always did when she was in park manager mode. It was past her office hours, but Owen had to drag her out of her office to get an early dinner and some drinks. It was a game they played and most of the time she won, but there were small victories like this evening.</p>
<p>"Why are you surprised? Dan told you he had people who would help and turn that rustic little cave into a safe shelter."</p>
<p>Owen took a sip from his beer. His first and probably only one, though he might add a lite beer to the list. Winston's had some pretty good tasting ones.</p>
<p>"I didn't expect them to do a full-out makeover renovation. Just fix a few areas and that's it."</p>
<p>"Band-aids and patchwork?"</p>
<p>A shrug.</p>
<p>"I've met Captain McMurty throughout the construction of the indominus paddock. He isn't a man to just slap some spackle and spit on a crack."</p>
<p>Owen chuckled. "I noticed. It feels like I was handed the keys to my new home."</p>
<p>"In a way, you have. Congratulations." She smiled warmly. "Any plans for a party?"</p>
<p>"Claire," he groaned. "I'm not moving! It's just…"</p>
<p>"Your safety. The pack's safety."</p>
<p>His lips thinned briefly. "Yeah," he finally murmured.</p>
<p>"You are important for this island, Owen Grady," Claire said seriously, leaning forward to catch his eyes and hold them. "You are important for the pack, for Dan, for me, for your friends. We all want you safe. That means helping out with your side project of so many years." There was a teasing smile. "On your own, you'd be old and gray before you got anything done. Or the next hurricane and flood would have washed it all away."</p>
<p>Owen grimaced, but he knew she was right. Amita, one of the servers, brought him another bottle of beer, lite this time, and he gave her a nod of thanks.</p>
<p>It would take a while to settle in for real.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rain had passed over the mountains and the low hanging clouds shrouded them in a misty fog, clinging to the tree-covered peaks. The hurricane threat had been over for a few weeks, but showers were frequent this time of the year.  Brief, intense, followed by bright spells of sunshine. Rain drops evaporated and turned into mist, like cotton balls stretched between tree tops.</p>
<p>There had been a jitter running through the raptor pack the whole morning and Charlie had been especially volatile, picking fights with each sister until Blue put an end to it. Owen didn’t intervene, trusting in his beta to handle matters, but he knew it was time to pack some stuff and head out.</p>
<p>They hadn't been to their usual territory in a while and while that wasn't usually a problem, the four raptors were quite aware of the changes that had been going on. They wanted to check out the new place, see what had changed, wanted to get to know the bunker that was their alpha's second home and would also serve as a pack shelter.</p>
<p>"Like taking a bunch of kids to an amusement park," Owen muttered.</p>
<p>The jitter was now a thrum of excitement and nerves, all wanting to get out and run, be there first, and even Blue felt it catch up to her. She kept a calm, reasonable head, but she was rumbling non-stop and quickly snarled and hissed at the other three to stop their antics.</p>
<p>"Hey!" Owen snapped as Charlie almost bit Delta, who retaliated with a vicious shove. "Cut it out! All of you! I see you, Delta! Stop it before I make you stop!"</p>
<p>Delta froze as Owen's presence intensified, overpowering their vicious circle of excitement, hunting instincts, territoriality, and cageyness. Her eyes widened and she stared at her alpha, stunned, then she looked away. Echo whined, ducking back down a little, feeling the power level rise, and Charlie chittered nervously. Blue chug-chugged softly, then brushed against their alpha, humming.</p>
<p>"We are going," Owen said firmly. "My rules, my decision, and my say when and where and how fast," he stated.</p>
<p>They deferred to him, moving back, the aggression suddenly passed and in the past. Owen ran a hand over Blue's flank as he left the paddock, receiving a warm embrace in his mind.</p>
<p>He was alpha.</p>
<p>He met her eyes. <i>Yes, I am.</i></p>
<p>
  <i>We will listen to you.</i>
</p>
<p>He looked at the others. Agreement met his wordless gaze.</p>
<p>"Echo, Charlie, with me. Delta, Blue, stay here," he decided calmly, voice firm and accepting no arguments.</p>
<p>It was time to put the harnesses on and it would have been absolutely impossible with the unruly and almost combative behavior.</p>
<p>The two carriers followed him, Echo close to demure, Charlie not even rumbling. Even Delta, who was staying with Blue, looked rather docile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Owen had sent off a message to Carter that they would be leaving for the pack to get to know the changes. Dan was on duty, so he wouldn’t be coming along, but it had been an unwritten rule ever since the first time the chief of security had come to know that one Owen Grady, chief raptor behavioral analyst, took his little gang out to the restricted area for fun times. It was one of the few mandatory requirements. Not optional; never optional.</p>
<p>Now he had his pack lined up, Echo and Charlie with the saddle bags and back pack, and Delta was wearing a camera. The pack mind was nervously dancing around him while they physically stayed as still as possible. Echo was trembling in reflection of that energy, though she valiantly tried to keep still.</p>
<p>Owen finally reached out, letting himself flow closer, touching their agitated minds.</p>
<p><i>Soon</i>, he projected. <i>Calm down. It won’t happen any faster if you keep pushing.</i></p>
<p>Delta snarled under her breath, fingers flexing, then looked a little caught and almost apologetic. She rumbled and he patted her side, shooting her a brief smile. She mumbled and let him do a final check on the camera. Charlie was the second camera girl, as well as the carrier of all things non-electronic. Blue rubbed her head against his shoulder and Owen smiled. Her soft nostrils opened wide and blew warm air into his face. Blue playfully nuzzled his hair.</p>
<p>Sudden all four heads simultaneously turned in the direction of the road leading to the enclosure and Owen sensed their recognition. The rumble of a bike could be heard not much later and he blinked as he saw the black custom InGen bike come into view.</p>
<p>“What are you doing here?” he asked when Carter stopped not far away.</p>
<p>“And hello to you too.” Carter took off the helmet and smiled sarcastically.</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah, hi, but… did something happen?”</p>
<p>It got him a chuckle. “No. This isn’t an official visit.” He gestured at the carrier bags attached to the bike.</p>
<p>Owen’s brows climbed higher. “Do I get a security detail?”</p>
<p>“Kinda. The best, actually.” The teasing light in the gray eyes was hard to miss. “Ms. Dearing was very delighted to know I was finally taking some vacation days.”</p>
<p>Owen stepped over to the bike and bulled the other man into a brief, hard kiss. “So am I,” he murmured. “How long?”</p>
<p>“How does a week sound?”</p>
<p>There were excited chitters and barks from the four raptors, all keeping a respectful distance. Not even Delta was trying to cozy up to the alpha’s mate.</p>
<p>“I don’t think I can get away with a week in the restricted area. That would be stretching it.”</p>
<p>Dan grinned. “I think four days are a good goal. We can see what to do with the rest.”</p>
<p>Yeah, that sounded like the perfect plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The mountains were like giant, moss-covered boulders. At least from a distance. A trail sloped down from the impressive mountain-side to the rough coast line. The beach was at the other end of the old ferry dock, slightly hidden from direct view of any passing boat. Steep cliffs to one side, sandy beach to the other, and dense jungle growing inward.</p>
<p>Carter leaned against a boulder, eyes on the beach, his slightly elevated position at the border between beach and jungle perfect to keep an eye on matters while also enjoying the sights.</p>
<p>One of those sights were velociraptors chasing sea gulls, digging for crabs or nosing through seaweed. There were barks, gurgles and chitters, sometimes cries of success. Charlie was caked in sand from head to toe and she was fighting with Delta over a piece of driftwood. It looked ferocious, but Dan had learned to tell apart real anger from play-fights.</p>
<p>Blue was basking in the sun, eyes closed, enjoying the warmth. Echo was busy biting at seaweed that was washing back and forth in the waves.</p>
<p>Owen plonked down beside him, slightly damp from getting thrown into the water a few times. He had dried in the warmth, but sand was stuck to his shirt and pants and his hair was in complete disarray.</p>
<p>They sat together, no words needed, shoulders touching. They stayed like this for a long, long time. It was a kind of peaceful comfort, surrounding both men. Just them, no world outside their own.</p>
<p>Both men and the pack had inspected the bunker and the adjoining rooms. Carter had been impressed by McMurty's construction. Yes, it was subterranean, but it didn't feel like it, and from the outside it didn't even look like anyone lived here.</p>
<p>Delta trotted over to the pair and dropped the piece of driftwood she had wrestled away from Charlie into the sand. She stepped back. Tilted her head. Snorted. And waited.</p>
<p>Dan blinked, meeting the reptilian eyes. His mind was coming up with a few scenarios as to what this meant, but one stuck out: throw the driftwood for her to… bring back? Play fetch?</p>
<p>"Translation?" he asked quietly, eyes never leaving Delta, though he was addressing the alpha.</p>
<p>Owen audibly smiled. "I think you know what she wants."</p>
<p>"Start a woodworking class? Or a collection of driftwood?"</p>
<p>It got him an amused chuckle and Delta grumped a little at him. Her fingers flexed and her sickle claw tapped into the sandy ground, almost impatient.</p>
<p>Carter rose, each move measured, calm, attention on the raptor in front of him. In any other scenario, he knew, Delta would be the distraction and another predator would be stalking him, possibly a second one, too. He would be attacked from the side or behind while his attention on the visible pack member.</p>
<p>This wasn't a hunt.</p>
<p>This was something else.</p>
<p>Delta stepped back as he approached, head tilted, nostrils scenting. She cooed encouragingly.</p>
<p>Carter crouched slightly, picking up the chewed-on piece of wood. He weighed it in his hand, getting a better grip, then met the lit-up eyes. He raised his brows and Delta yipped. And he threw it toward the edge of the ocean with as much strength as he could muster. It sailed through the air and Delta let out a yowl of delight, darting after it, kicking up sand. Charlie, who had noticed the interaction, barked and did the same, trying to outmatched her sister.</p>
<p>Dan burst out laughing as Delta bowled her over like a professional rugby player, skidding to a stop near her target, only to have a particularly large wave wash over her and the driftwood piece. She cried out in what almost sounded like disgust as her mouth was washed out by salt water.</p>
<p>Owen's laughter joined his own and Dan shook his head, looking back at the alpha of the pack.</p>
<p>"Needs training."</p>
<p>Owen shrugged. "I think you're the best for that."</p>
<p>"Playing fetch with a raptor?"</p>
<p>"Your first throw wasn't that bad."</p>
<p>Carter was about to come up with a reply when low chug-chugging alerted him to Delta's return.</p>
<p>She dropped the wood.</p>
<p>Dan tilted his head at her, receiving a similar tilt in return.</p>
<p>"Huh," he muttered.</p>
<p>She breathed softly, humming. For a moment he wondered if she would start wagging her tail, though it was more Echo's style. Delta bounced a little, projecting an excitement she rarely displayed outside a hunt.</p>
<p>Carter stayed for a long ten seconds where he was, then walked over to the toy. Delta didn't step back this time and Dan reached for the driftwood with calm, steady hands, refusing to be afraid, to be cowed. He could feel her breath, heard her barely audible rumbles, and she gave an excited hiccup as he picked it up.</p>
<p>And immediately tossed it into the jungle.</p>
<p>Delta was off, racing past Owen and diving into the foliage. Owen grinned like a maniac.</p>
<p>"You can feel her," Dan stated with a chuckle.</p>
<p>"She's as bouncy as a flummy. Actually, she's as bad as Echo usually is."</p>
<p>There was a crowing noise, then the bouncy raptor in question returned, toy between her teeth.</p>
<p>This time she didn't drop it.</p>
<p>This time she stopped about six feet away from him, meeting his gaze, clearly offering.</p>
<p>"I wonder who's training who," Carter murmured.</p>
<p>She hummed.</p>
<p>And Dan held out his hand, palm up, as if he was dealing with a trained puppy. A genetically engineered puppy, with deadly claws and fangs, which was also an apex predator. Who behaved like a retriever puppy.</p>
<p>Delta perked up, eyes alight, and she closed the distance to drop the wood into his palm.</p>
<p>That was the moment Charlie lunged forward to get at the prize. Years of training kicked in and Carter threw himself out of the way, but he was body-checked nevertheless. He felt the blow, but not as hard and as badly as it could have been had Charlie wanted to push him away. It would leave a bruise, but no more than a training exercise might.</p>
<p>There was a loud snarl and bark from Delta and she jumped at her pack sister, teeth bared, radiating anger. Charlie was thrown to the ground, only to get up again, hissing, but Delta had already moved back, head ducked low, lips pulled all the way back from dagger-like teeth. She was growling low, aggressive, barely a warning anymore.</p>
<p>"Enough! Delta, Charlie, cut it out! Now!"</p>
<p>Both raptors froze and Charlie made a whining noise. Delta blinked, eyes suddenly on Carter, who met her burning eyes with a hard, unyielding look.</p>
<p>"Enough!" he repeated, voice like a knife. "Stop it!"</p>
<p>Shoulders squared, standing tall, he refused to back down as both raptors studied him. Charlie snorted softly, which got her a warning hiss from Delta, but one look from Dan had Delta rumble and finally relinquish her attack posture.</p>
<p>"Charlie, not cool," he addressed her. "Play with Echo or chase crabs. This is Delta's game."</p>
<p>She trilled, looking indecisive.</p>
<p>"Not a pack training. Just her and I."</p>
<p>Another trill. Delta snarled, but Dan only shifted his posture and she stopped. Not cowed, but respectful.</p>
<p>Charlie finally made a sighing noise and trotted off. Delta watched her, clearly more in the mood to chase her down and give her another raptor-style piece of her mind, but she stayed. And now she eyes Carter, daring to approach a few steps, nostrils blowing wide as she scented him.</p>
<p>"You really need to work on those issues, girl," Dan muttered.</p>
<p>She warbled, glancing at the piece of driftwood that was still there, simply half buried in the sand.</p>
<p>He picked it up.</p>
<p>Her head perked up in turn.</p>
<p>Dan smiled and threw it again. Delta chittered and was off once more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The game continued for a while longer until Echo had enough of the excitement and intercepted the toy as it sailed through the air. dCarter had to confess he was impressed by her ability to jump this high and catch it in mid-flight, but the pack had been hunting birds and monkeys in the restricted area. It was a trained skill. Delta barked angrily, then turned to look at Carter, who gave her a shrug.</p>
<p>"You win some, you lose some. Let's call it a day."</p>
<p>She lifted her lips in an annoyed snarl and shook her head, but she didn't demand another throw. Carter rolled his shoulders and headed back to where Owen had watched the whole thing with relaxed amusement. As he passed Delta, her demeanor changed from grumpy to almost hopeful. She snuffled a little.</p>
<p>Dan looked at her, took in her posture, the inviting cock of the head. She whuffled. He held out his hand, palm forward, and Delta, knowing the gesture only too intimately, touched her nose gently against it. It was warmth and softness, with an edge of scales. Dan marveled at the contact. It was different from the few rare incidents he had touched one of the pack or had been touched by them brushing past.</p>
<p>Then it was gone as she raised her head, studying him like a teacher would a student who had finally got the point.</p>
<p>Dan felt himself twitch a smile.</p>
<p>Delta trilled, sounding almost gentle, and trotted off.</p>
<p>Carter watched her, strangely touched by the reaction, by his own emotions concerning the matter. He slowly walked back to Owen, who gave him an inquisitive look.</p>
<p>"You finally caved," he remarked with silent amusement audible in his voice. "She's happy."</p>
<p>"Because of a nose but?"</p>
<p>"Yep."</p>
<p>"Your raptors are so easy," Dan teased.</p>
<p>"It was more than just a touch for her."</p>
<p>He sat down beside Grady. "Ditto."</p>
<p>"You finally allowed her closer, Dan."</p>
<p>He silently watched the pack as they lingered around the beach. Delta had made herself a sand pit and was lazily watching the others. Echo was chasing crabs and crunching on those she managed to catch. Charlie and Blue were nowhere to be seen, but he was sure they were close. At least Blue would be.</p>
<p>"She wore me down."</p>
<p>Owen chuckled. "Sure. Also, you are a very commanding presence. You stopped them."</p>
<p>He frowned. It wasn't something he had realized. Not really. He had simply reacted to the scuffle and the posturing, not in the mood to have two raptors fight over who could play fetch with him.</p>
<p>"Please don't tell me I channeled you," he groaned.</p>
<p>Owen laughed, bumping their shoulders. "No. I had nothing to do with it. And you can't channel anything of what I am. Doesn't work like that."</p>
<p>"So I'm still passive."</p>
<p>"Very much."</p>
<p>"But they listened to me."</p>
<p>Owen's expression was suddenly serious. "They have before. It's also what you are. You are an alpha, Dan Carter. It's your nature already. You're the alpha mate in pack terms and they know it. You are my equal."</p>
<p>"So is Blue."</p>
<p>"Differently. It's kinda hard to explain. Yes, she's my equal, but also my beta, and you are the mate. It's complicated in human terms, but it makes perfect sense in pack matters."</p>
<p>Carter glanced at him. "Which is all that matters."</p>
<p>"Yes," was the quiet reply.</p>
<p>"That's all I need to know."</p>
<p>Owen smiled, then let their shoulders touch again, and stayed that way. Dan smiled, enjoying the closeness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When it was time to go back, Owen whistled sharply. He got a sleepy grumble from Echo.</p>
<p>“Go hunt for your dinner if you want. Perimeters, remember?”</p>
<p>Yowls, chuffs and barks answered him. The raptors brushed past their alpha, chittering at Dan, then they were off. Blue was the last to go, tilting her head at Owen in a clear question. Grady smiled.</p>
<p>“Have fun. Just don’t get stuck somewhere.”</p>
<p>Blue growled, then darted off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Is this okay?" Owen asked when they sat together throughout breakfast the next morning, coffee mugs in hand, watching the surf.</p>
<p>Carter shot him a quizzical look.</p>
<p>"This." Owen nodded at what was around them. The dozing raptors, the wilderness, them. "Us. Like this."</p>
<p>Gray eyes studied him, so calm and laid-back, so very at ease, Owen felt himself relax involuntarily. Dan had that effect on him, reflecting the same energy, keeping him balanced.</p>
<p>Blue hummed in the back of his mind, still rather smug about it all.</p>
<p>"Yes," was the simple answer. "Just like this."</p>
<p>This ease. No change to before. Except the new connection, their personal relationship that intimacy.</p>
<p>"Owen," Carter broke the silence, voice calm and deep, hitting a nerve.</p>
<p>Touching something.</p>
<p>Pack.</p>
<p>And more. So much more. Something private, personal, intimate, something only between them.</p>
<p>"Yeah," he murmured.</p>
<p>The pack was there. All of them. Crowding, but not overwhelming him, flowing through his mind and surrounding their alpha, but there was an opening. For the alpha mate. Dan couldn't feel them, but he was there. Owen knew he was there without the ripple of a link.</p>
<p>The mug was moved out of his hands and Dan pushed him back, settling over him with a smile. Then he kissed him. He tasted of coffee and the bagel he had had for breakfast.</p>
<p>He loved this man, Owen thought faintly, mind turning over the word in an almost lazy way. Had loved him for a while now.</p>
<p>Dan's eyes reflected nothing but peace, awareness, a kind of acceptance of everything. This life, this strange, weird life with a pack of velociraptors, a man who had such a powerful preternatural talent that he needed those four minds to protect his own. Dan had accepted it all and he wanted it.</p>
<p>Yes, Owen thought, he loved him.</p>
<p>There were whispers in the back of his mind, Blue humming softly, urging him to show his mate, to accept it in turn.</p>
<p><i>I do</i>, he told her.</p>
<p>Carter's lips curled into a gentle smile. It was tender, loving… private. And incredibly intimate.</p>
<p>He knew.</p>
<p>Owen wanted this. The casualness, the way they expressed themselves within the privacy of this place, or either man's home. Dan's presence was reassuring and warm. Simply there. An unmovable fact in his life.</p>
<p>He pulled him into a kiss, long, deep, wishing there was this kind of connection, then again hoping there never would be. Carter's mind wasn't equipped to handle it. He hadn't been born with the talent.</p>
<p>He didn't need it, the pack told him, Blue gently nudging him.</p>
<p>No, Dan didn't need it. At all. Everything he was was perfect.</p>
<p>"This is perfect," Owen murmured.</p>
<p>They were free out here. There was no pressure, no expectations, no past, no future. Just the present.</p>
<p>Their time together was simply just them. It wasn't just about sex, just touching freely, reaffirming the connection they shared, which was so much more important.</p>
<p>There were yowls in the back, then excited chitters and cries. Charlie burst out of the brushes, chasing a wild pig, with Echo trying to cut off the pig's path. It was Delta who brought down the kill, appearing where the pig hadn't expected her to be.</p>
<p>Owen groaned. Dan just buried his face against the juncture of Owen's neck, shoulders and back shaking with laugher that was muffled against Grady's skin.</p>
<p>Yeah, this was actually perfect.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Bonus Scene</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bonus: original scene that was not needed</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Carter leaned heavily against the shed's door frame, looking at the whiteness. Just their look. Rain at night, fog in the morning.</p>
<p>Delta stood on his other side, his bad side with the clearly broken arm. It had been hell to strap the injured limb to his body, but it had had to be done. Dan had wanted to curl up and black out afterwards, but he couldn't give in to the tempting darkness.</p>
<p>They had to get out of here.</p>
<p>Delta's nostrils blew wide open and she snorted, alert eyes taking in their surroundings, scenting for trouble.</p>
<p>In the trees above, monkeys called to each other and birds trilled or squawked.</p>
<p>"So," he croaked. "Where to?"</p>
<p>Delta regarded him silently, then her eyes were on the cottony world around them. She hummed.</p>
<p>"I'm not going to stay here, wherever here is. Either you go looking for your alpha or I am."</p>
<p>Her rumble translated easily. She was annoyed. But she had understood, which should be freaking him out, but Dan Carter had known what those four could do for a very long time now. He had seen them rescue their alpha, taking a hostage, opening doors, learning from watching and copying what they had learned.</p>
<p>"I can sit this one out," he told her. "You go."</p>
<p>She shook her head like trying to dislodge something from it, then bared her teeth.</p>
<p>Head pounding, his whole body aching, Dan pushed away from the door, only to run into a wall of muscle and teeth. Delta snarled at him, sounding commanding and warning in one. Carter felt dizzy, holding on to the warm, lean form, trying not to black out. The snarls became purring and humming, low and barely audible, but he felt it.</p>
<p>"Alright. Not moving," he whispered.</p>
<p>Delta agreed.</p>
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